Brandi Lee Weaver-Gates, a Pennsylvania beauty queen, has been arrested for faking cancer in an effort to swindle thousands of dollars in donations.
According to CBS News, the 23-year-old was jailed Tuesday on charges of theft by deception and receiving stolen property.
Weaver-Gates conjured a story so convincing that not only did she dupe strangers and donors, she also fooled her sister. She convinced everyone that she had been diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in March 2013.
To make the story more believable, she even had relatives drive her the hospital for cancer treatments. While her family members waited for hours in the lobby, Weaver-Gates hid in another part of the hospital.
The con artist even shaved her head to mimic the side effect of chemotherapy, police said.
For two year, she participated in fundraisers dedicated to raising money for her treatment. In April, the Miss Pennsylvania U.S. International winner raised $14,000 in donations at a bingo benefit.
An anonymous tipster alerted authorities. And when investigators dug a little deeper, they found that Weaver-Gates was never under the care of any physician for cancer treatment.
Police ask that if anyone has more information about Weaver-Gates or if they have been a victim of her scam to come forward.
A spokesperson for the Miss Pennsylvania U.S. International organization stated that Weaver-Gates has been stripped of her crown and sash.
"We were also led to believe that she was dealing with this horrible disease and stood by her as she struggled being a beauty queen and a cancer patient," the statement said.
"When you deceive the public and take people's money that is under the pretense of fraud, we will not tolerate those actions."
Weaver-Gates is being held on $150,000 bail. She has not yet entered a plea, and she is due in court on August 19.
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