UPDATE: N.J couple in $400K dispute with homeless vet no-shows court hearing, may take 5th

GoFundMe said Tuesday it deposited $20,000 in an account for Johnny Bobbitt and is working with authorities to see that $400,000 raised for the homeless veteran by a South Jersey couple reaches the rightful recipient.

The Burlington County couple - Kate McClure and Mark D'Amico - launched a fundraiser in Bobbitt's name after he gave his last $20 to McClure when she ran out of gas on I-95 in Philadelphia last year. The feel-good story soured after Bobbitt sued, claiming the couple was withholding the money gathered for him. A judge ordered the couple to turn over the money to an escrow account last week.

An attorney for Bobbitt, Christopher C. Fallon, said Tuesday that a conference call between lawyers for both sides revealed the thousands in donations is gone. A hearing was scheduled Wednesday morning in case.

Meanwhile, a GoFundMe spokesman said the company put $20,000 in a bank account created by Bobbitt's legal team " to provide assistance during the investigation."

"We are working with law enforcement officials to ensure Johnny receives all of the funds raised on his behalf," the company said in a statement.

"It's important to remember that our platform is backed by the GoFundMe Guarantee, which means that in the rare case that GoFundMe, law enforcement or a user finds campaigns are misused, donors and beneficiaries are protected," the statement said.

It was not clear if the couple is the subject of a criminal investigation or which law enforcement agency was apparently involved in the matter.

According to the GoFundMe website, donations can be refunded if the company determines something improper. A spokesman did not immediately comment further and the company's plans remained unclear as the legal case progressed.

An attorney for McClure and D'Amico, Ernest E. Badway, did not respond to messages seeking comment Tuesday afternoon.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.