As we start building a database of personal crowdfunding frauds, the “I’m raising money for a dead person’s family who will never actually see the money” will no doubt top the list. And that’s exactly what Krystal Gentley is accused of doing.
Cops say the New Hampshire woman stole over $5000 from a GoFundMe account intended to cover funeral costs for her ‘friend,’ 26-year-old Tabatha Fauteux who died late last year in California. Fauteux’s mother says they never received the money; when they contacted GoFundMe for more information, they were told the account was closed and the money long gone.
“You can’t go any lower in life I think than to do something like that, that was the lowest,” she said.
“It just made it harder, it made things go deeper than deep, they were already at their saddest point but to do what she did was even deeper.”
Tabatha’s parents feel betrayed. Her father says it’s made the loss of Tabatha even tougher to bear.
“I couldn’t believe how pathetic she would be to do something like that,” Guy Fauteux said.
“I couldn’t believe it. Going through what we went through and then to have to even think of something like that and then to have to deal with something like that.”
Gentley has been charged with felony theft by deception and faces up to 15 years in prison. Her arraignment is scheduled for May 17.
GoFundMe later announced that they would provide the family of Tabitha Fauteux with the money that was raised and then (allegedly) stolen on their platform in order to “make sure they receive the help they need during this distressing time.”