WASHINGTON — A Capitol Heights, Maryland, woman who ran a GoFundMe account for the family of a homicide victim and withheld money from it was arrested and charged with first-degree fraud Friday.
Police say Arlene Petty, 30, created a GoFundMe account to raise money for the family of Stephanie Goodloe, a D.C. church worker who was shot and killed by her ex-boyfriend in June 2016.
The account ran from June 30, 2016, to March 29 of this year and was intended to provide financial support to Goodloe’s family, but Petty “intentionally withheld collected proceeds from the account,” the police said.
Bobby Whithorne, a GoFundMe spokesperson said that such “misuse” with their platform makes up less than one percent of all campaigns.
“We’ll work with the local law enforcement to ensure that family receives all of the money raised on their behalf,” said Whithorne.
Petty was found and arrested following a warrant from the D.C. Superior Court.
