I tend to favor the non-malice-based explanation too, but in this case it's looking bad. The article documents a couple of lies (patent pending, etc.), the person doesn't seem to exist at all, and he also magically transformed into some chick at the end. Looks like a scam got snuffed.
If it weren't a scam, KickStarter would probably say so vociferously too.
I don't think that is necessarily true ... Kickstart themselves have said that they don't closely follow each project and it is up to the backers to decide whether they feel it is worth their money or not.
The whole idea of Kickstarter is to allow family and friends to help you with your idea and to spread that idea by word of mouth, but it provides a great incentive to make sure that you do complete the project and make good on your promises, because your friends and family are going to be there asking about it in real life. That is a little bit more difficult to do online, when it is so easy to fake who you are.
If it weren't a scam, KickStarter would probably say so vociferously too.