Flashpoint: GoFundMe done wrong, PA child priest sex abuse survivor & "Be A Great You" making change

Host and KYW Newsradio community affairs reporter Cherri Gregg asks the burning questions about a viral GoFundMe campaign gone wrong. It all began last year when Johnny Bobbit, a homeless veteran gave $20 to a stranded Katie McClure. To return the favor, McClure and boyfriend Mark D'Marco set up a GoFundMe account to help Bobbitt. The effort got widespread support, raising $400,000. Fast forward and Bobbitt claims the New Jersey couple didn't give him the money that was raised. He lawyered up and filed a lawsuit and now the couple could be indicted on fraud charges. What are the rules of crowdfunding online and beyond? How can donors protect themselves from fraudsters? Who must pay if a "fundraiser" turns out to be fraud. Panelists this week include Mark Roderick, an attorney with Flaster Greenberg who specializes in crowdfunding, Mu'min Islam, an attorney who represented a homeless couple that sued a non-profit that raised money on their behalf and Tom Nickels, a freelance journalist who knows Bobbit and penned a column titled, "City Safari: Faux Friends Defund Johnny. The Newsmaker of the week is Shaun Dougherty, 48. He recently went public with his experiences as victim of priest sex abuse. Dougherty says he was molested by a priest from the Altoona-Johnstown Archdioces beginning at age 10. His allegations were part of the 2016 investigation from that archdiocese. Dougherty came forward and told his story publicly this summer when the Pennsylvania Attorney General released a nearly 900 page Grand Jury report implicating roughly 300 people withing multiple Dioceses across the Commonwealth. Dougherty is now an advocate for survivors of child sex abuse within the church and is advocating for legislation that would eliminate the statute of limitations. There is a rally in Harrisburg to help pass news legislation. Details HERE. Finally, the Changemaker of the week is Be A Great You, Inc., a non-profit run by Malika Rahman. The organizations show youth of color the "story behind the glory" by providing them access to professionals, as well as experiences that help them grow. Rahman works in law enforcement and was inspired to start the organization after experiencing her own difficulties living on her own as teen. More at beagreatyou.org. Flashpoint airs every Saturday at 9:30pm and Sunday at 8:30am on KYW Newsradio. Subscribe to the Flashpoint Podcast on the Apple Podcast, Radio.com or others apps where you get your podcast by searching "Flashpoint KYW." See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.