New Jersey woman who used $400,000 from GoFundMe homeless vet scam on Casino trips and cars sentenced to a year in prison

[MP80]

New Jersey woman who used $400,000 from GoFundMe homeless vet scam on Casino trips and cars sentenced to a year in prison (msn.com)

 

She pleaded guilty to theft by scamming donors of $400,000 on GoFundMe after fabricating a homeless veteran story.

 

Bad Karma is coming her way!

 

[PotO]

$400,000 profit for a year in prison isn't bad.  

[Burgerwars]

1 hour ago, PotO said:

$400,000 profit for a year in prison isn't bad.  

 

The article says she needs to pay restitution, but it depends on the prison whether $400,000 is worth one year in the pokey.

 

Am I the only person who has never given a penny to anything on GoFundMe? 

[PotO]

2 hours ago, Burgerwars said:

 

The article says she needs to pay restitution, but it depends on the prison whether $400,000 is worth one year in the pokey.

 

Am I the only person who has never given a penny to anything on GoFundMe? 

 

If she eventually pays the restitution that would make the deal not so good.  Maybe she will end up in a country club prison.  

[CreditSucksNot]

4 hours ago, Burgerwars said:

 

The article says she needs to pay restitution, but it depends on the prison whether $400,000 is worth one year in the pokey.

 

Am I the only person who has never given a penny to anything on GoFundMe? 

I have 3 times but all were known to me.  One was my brother and SIL who were raising funds for a mission trip to Honduras.  I gave them $50.  They did the trip but did not meet the fundraising goal.

 

The other was 2 years ago for a colleague who got covid and took a sudden turn for the worse.  Her sister started a GFM because due to the acute sudden change my colleague was not able to give her access to bank accounts to pay the mortgage and bills.  Just about everyone in our company donated some hefty sums.  I sent $250.  At one point we were all convinced (her family included) that she was not going to make it.  The good news is the money raised kept her from losing the house and her 3 kids in the home and she is recovered and back working with us!  

 

The last was a good friend who was in the process of adopting 2 retired racehorses to keep them from being sent to slaughter in Mexico.  She was down to needing the last $50 to get the health inspection done so they could be released.  I sent it.  They still have the horses.  The kids love them and spoil them rotten.  

 

I have NEVER sent money to some random campaign on GFM as I consider them fraud since you cannot verify most of them and some are just spoiled people who want something and don't want to work for it.

[StarkRaven$]

I've contributed to about three of them. All three were distant inlaw relatives who had adult children die either by car accident or suicide. They needed $ for funeral expenses. Made me get life insurance. I don't want my adult children worrying about raising money for our funerals/memorials.

[Burgerwars]

Agree. I'll donate to something I'm familiar with. With GoFundMe, someone might start a campaign for a homeless person sleeping under a bridge. All of a sudden things go viral and they see the guy is going to end up filthy rich, so they keep the money. 

Edited July 25, 2022 by Burgerwars

[hdporter]

If I spoke my mind here, I'd be in violation of the TOS and common decency all over the place.

[PhoenixDown]

8 hours ago, Burgerwars said:

Am I the only person who has never given a penny to anything on GoFundMe? 

 

I never donate via GoFundMe. I don't agree with how they operate by a double standard depending on the political orientation of the intended cause. If anything I will donate directly to nonprofits that support good causes.

Edited July 25, 2022 by PhoenixDown

[PotO]

33 minutes ago, PhoenixDown said:

 

I never donate via GoFundMe. I don't agree with how they operate by a double standard depending on the political orientation of the intended cause. If anything I will donate directly to nonprofits that support good causes.

 

There are so many scammers on GoFundMe.  I know specifically of a pedophile who raises money on GoFundMe and GoFundMe admin does absolutely nothing about it.  

[StarkRaven$]

1 hour ago, hdporter said:

If I spoke my mind here, I'd be in violation of the TOS and common decency all over the place.

Oh I hear ya HD. I couldn't agree more. I'll leave it at that.

[parrothead1]

Oops.

Edited July 26, 2022 by parrothead1

[centex]

A year and a day in federal prison...used to preclude the release to the halfway house or for time to be served as home confinement.

 

The restitution lives FOREVER.  I hope she was able to parlay it into some winnings stashed away somewhere, otherwise she will not be seeing a lot of income or a tax return or many other federal benefits for a very long time...federal restitution does not expire with the sentence finishing up (like with a lot of State judgments).