The Florida woman who created a GoFundMe last year and posed as the family of a Camp Mystic flooding victim has been sentenced to 3 years in prison after accepting a plea deal.
Maitlin White, 29, was charged with two counts of online impersonation and court records show she accepted a plea deal Friday morning.
“It is inexcusable how she sought to prey on the emotions of our community and abused the family of Chloe Childress who have endured an unimaginable tragedy,” Harris County Constable Precinct One Alan Rosen, said in a statement. “Let this be a warning to anyone else who ever seeks to engage in such schemes in the future.”
According to court records, she told investigators she was a single mother of two children looking to make quick money and used her cell phone to set up a fake GoFundMe impersonating Chloe Childress’ family.
“The last thing they needed to do was have somebody that was profiting off of their daughter,” Rosen said. “To take advantage of a situation where a family is already devastated, to take further advantage of them, it’s sad.”
The plea deal comes as flood waters rise in the same region again, one year later.
“As you want to help and as big as your heart is to want to give to people that are suffering so greatly right now ... just verify, do a little due diligence, do a little homework, vet the sources before you just go and give money really quickly,” Rosen said.
In an alert Friday, the Texas Attorney General’s Office urged Texans to avoid wire transfers or confirming any personal or financial information to avoid scams and ensure any support goes to legit organizations.
GoFundMe told us White’s account has been banned from future fundraising on the platform.
Records show she will earn 111 days credit for time served.