Gary Thompson was exposed as a bogus beggar by a Lexington news station, and video of his confrontation is causing outrage at the ruse he pulled.
Thompson was the target of an investigation by LEX 18, which found him in a wheelchair on a public street asking for money. Thompson spoke slowly, as if he were mentally disabled, and told a story about a motorcycle accident that left him disabled and his family rich.
That part was true, the news station said — his family won $2.5 million in a lawsuit from Honda of America. But his story about being mentally disabled —and his manner of speech — was all fake. In fact, he even has a degree in speech pathology that allowed him to mimic a mentally disabled person.
Gary Thompson later admitted to his ruse on camera, saying he brings in between $60,000 and $100,000 each year.
“I appreciate you guys busting me,” Thompson told a reporter as he laughed. “Yeah, I’m really good at it, really good. I clear about 100,000 dollars a year doing this.”
Thompson added, “I am normal, it just helps to be mentally handicapped.”
His story has gone viral, with posts featured on message board and Reddit.
Thompson had apparently swindled countless people out of money with the bogus begging act, and had been arrested several times for it. Police in Lexington held a press conference about it, and authorities in Austin, Texas, said he pulled the same stunt there.
After the segment aired, LEX 18 reported that it received calls from local residents saying he got them too.
Thompson’s story is about a polar opposite from another famous beggar, Billy Ray Harris. The homeless man from Kansas City, Missouri, got an unexpected donation — a wedding ring that slipped out of a woman’s purse when she tried to give him some change.
Harris realized it was expensive and held onto the ring for a day in the hopes that she would return for it. When she did, Harris gave her the ring — and became a celebrity. He now has more than $100,000 in online donations from strangers who were touched by his story.
Gary Thompson doesn’t have such a happy ending. He didn’t appear to be remorseful at all for his fake begging act — right after he was interviewed by LEX 18, Thompson resumed begging in his mentally disabled character, while still in front of the police station.
Read more at Gary Thompson: Bogus Beggar Exposed By Lexington News Station Says He Scams $100,000 A Year
It's pretty easy to tell the difference between homeless people and panhandlers.
The panhandlers are the ones asking for money.
They're also the ones who show up in the same place every day to beg.
But I definitely can see them pulling in $60k a year. They're out there 250 days a year. They're out there 8 hours a day... They get at least a dollar a minute at the high traffic spots.
It's pretty easy to tell the difference between homeless people and panhandlers.
The panhandlers are the ones asking for money.
They're also the ones who show up in the same place every day to beg.
But I definitely can see them pulling in $60k a year. They're out there 250 days a year. They're out there 8 hours a day... They get at least a dollar a minute at the high traffic spots.
at least 8 hours a day. Cannot imagine how much this "homeless" woman makes outside a busy Bank Of America here in the Financial District.
Then he continued begging right outside the police station LOL.
Lots of these guys are frauds, the guy who pretended he didnt have any shoes was just faking too.
We had a reporter do something on the same type of scam in my town, guy said he made I think around 80,000 per year too. The he would go home to his nice apartment.
pretty sure all those handouts are looked at as gifts, can't tax that.
The IRS sets limits on cash gift amounts, at some point you have to pay taxes on it
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I don't see how anyone could hate on this guy for having a hustle.
This dude came up with a plan and had the skills to execute it. No one put a gun to these people's head to give him money. More people than you would like to believe fall for phone scams, those Nigerian scams and all types of sh!t. Except in those cases, people unknowingly outright lose their money.
i don't see anything wrong with this. He's not stealing or robbing anyone. People chose to give him money. lol @ the haters saying the IRS is going to get him, you can't prove he didn't pay taxes on it so why make the false claim?
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You cant prove he made that much either, brb T4? brb pay stubs? brb brb
lol haha
first it starts off with sound that can be moved, and next shes looking to see if you have some light that can reflect. i've dealt with girls like this before. best to stay away
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A man's gotta make a living nomsaiyan. He is also doing other people a service by making them feel better about themselves when donating to him. Keep hustlin' Thompson.
A man's gotta make a living nomsaiyan. He is also doing other people a service by making them feel better about themselves when donating to him. Keep hustlin' Thompson.
you never go full potato
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also i don't believe for a second that he's clearing 100k a year
You'd be surprised at how much they make. Used to work downtown St. Louis and the same guy always asked me for a quarter every day. Saw him in Subway one day and he pulls out a wad of cash. After that I never gave anyone begging for money a dime. If they want a sandwich I'll buy them a sandwich.
with respect to a single gift, in his case its many many smaller individual 'gifts'
Agreed.
A donor of a gift might have to pay Gift Taxes but any gifts totalling less than $12,000 per recipient in any single year are not subjecty to Gift Tax or Gift Tax reporting.
If you want to check the tax code it's in 26 USC § 102.
I hope there is some state law they can bust this guy for. He is a dishonest fraud who is preying on the decency and kindness of others.
It's despicable.
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