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CRIME

Pennsylvania woman faked cancer, received $10G in donations: reports

By Bradford Betz Fox News
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A Pennsylvania woman was arrested Monday on charges that she scammed people out of thousands of dollars by pretending to have cancer, according to reports.

Jessica Smith, 32, created a GoFundMe account and a Facebook page, claiming she had colon cancer, WPVI reported, citing investigators.

Smith claimed she was “facing tremendous medical bills, travel costs and paying for the care of her children ad missed work,” according to a criminal complaint filed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in Chester County.

A Pennsylvania woman is accused of falsely diagnosing herself with cancer in order to raise money on GoFundMe and Facebook. 

A Pennsylvania woman is accused of falsely diagnosing herself with cancer in order to raise money on GoFundMe and Facebook.  (Chester County District Attorney’s office)

Smith received more than $10,000 in donations, which were deposited into joint bank accounts with her husband, the complaint said.

"She made people believe that she had a very serious cancer diagnosis. The fact is she didn't have it. She lied about that," said Acting Chester County District Attorney Mike Noone.

Amid suspicions that she was faking her diagnosis, Smith appeared on the local podcast “The Ever Evolving Truth” in August to defend herself.

“If anyone straight up came up to me and said, ‘I think you’re faking this,’ I literally would say, ‘OK, you’re coming to chemo with me on Monday,’” she said.

JOHNNY BOBBITT, PHILADELPHIA HOMELESS MAN INVOLVED IN GOFUNDME SCAM, SENTENCED TO PROBATION

A GoFundMe spokeswoman said the company is working with local law enforcement to assist in the investigation.

“All donations will be refunded to the donors in full and the user has been banned from the platform,” she said.

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Smith’s lawyer, Michael DiCindio, declined Fox News' request for comment.

Smith was arraigned Monday on charges of receiving stolen property and theft by deception, The Washington Post reported. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, the report said.