90 Day Fiancé couple Brandan and Mary Denuccio faced scrutiny after creating a fundraising page claiming Mary had colon cancer, which was later shut down by GoGetFunding. The couple admitted there was no official diagnosis and that they were still awaiting results, leading to questions about the legitimacy of their claims. The situation has sparked controversy and raised concerns about the couple's credibility, as they backtracked on their initial statements.
Pamela Reed of Ohio was arrested and charged with theft after allegedly fabricating her child's cancer diagnosis to solicit thousands of dollars in donations from local organizations. The child's school raised concerns after Reed provided false documentation, and a medical provider confirmed that the child did not have cancer. Reed admitted to exaggerating and fabricating the medical conditions to receive monetary donations and was charged with theft by deception. She posted numerous statements on Facebook about her daughter's alleged condition and organized fundraising events, ultimately collecting around $8,000 from one organization.
Madison Russo, a 20-year-old woman from Bettendorf, Iowa, has been sentenced to a 10-year suspended prison sentence with three years of probation after pleading guilty in a cancer scam. She is accused of stealing over $37,000 from donors by falsely claiming to have various forms of cancer. Russo will also pay restitution and fines, and if she completes probation, she will not serve the prison sentence.
The Scamanda podcast, which delves into the story of Amanda Riley, a woman who convinced her friends and family that she had cancer for nearly a decade and received over $100,000 in donations for "treatment," has become a viral sensation. Host Charlie Webster of Lionsgate Sound first began investigating Riley's case in 2021 and released the podcast in May 2022. The show has become the top show on Apple Podcasts multiple times during its eight-episode season and sparked countless discussions on social media. Riley was sentenced to five years in federal prison for wire fraud in May 2022.
