A TikToker has pleaded guilty to first-degree theft after creating an elaborate cancer scam and fraudulently accepting donations from well-wishers.
20-year-old Madison Russo, of Iowa, lied and faked Stage 2 pancreatic cancer and acute lymphoblastic leukemia, which she showed off in her online content, as well as 'a tumor the size of a football that wrapped around her spine.'
Her lies raised $37,000 (around £29,000) through GoFundMe donations from kind-hearted followers.
Sickeningly, fraudster Russo even gave talks on her 'cancer journey' at St. Ambrose University, where she previously studied, as well as speaking on the podcast Project Purple.
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According to a 2022 interview with the North Scott Press last year, Russo claimed she received her pancreatic cancer diagnosis on 10 February the same year, which was followed by a faked leukemia diagnosis several months later.
“I remember hanging up the phone, and I was a mess,” she lied.
That same interview saw her claim that from February to October of 2022, she endured 15 rounds of chemotherapy and 90 rounds of radiation.
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Her now shut-down GoFundMe campaign stated that her health struggles had been 'very hard' on her family.
"Just like with any cancer diagnosis, the cost of medical bills, gas, meals, and expense can be a burden, and that is something this family should not have to worry about," it said.
“If you are able to, donations would be greatly appreciated to help cover medical expenses and to allow Maddie to focus on one thing only, which is to show that she is stronger than cancer and will beat this. Please donate/share if you can.”
Her story was that doctors gave her an 11 percent survival rate for five years, before discovering the massive tumour on her spine.
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“I feel like I’ve been rocked to my soul, and right now, everything is kind of uncertain," she told followers to illicit sympathy.
But witnesses claiming to be medics soon contacted the police, saying they noticed' 'many medical discrepancies'.
She was arrested in late January after police uncovered the scam on her socials and fundraising site.
KWQC cited witness statements mentioning 'terrible life-threatening inaccuracies of her medical equipment placement on her body.'
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According to court filings, she'd even stolen shared photos from true cancer sufferers in an attempt to validate her claim.
A search of her home uncovered an IV pole with a feeding pump filled with cotton swabs, a wig, and anti-nausea medication prescribed in a relative’s name, according to the court filings.
When Russo’s medical records were reviewed, they revealed that she has never been diagnosed with any form of cancer or tumor at any medical facility where she claimed to be living.
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The scammer originally pleaded not guilty to the charge of theft via donations from 439 unsuspecting well-wishers - including cancer charities and school districts.
But appearing in court on Wednesday (14 June), Russo pleaded guilty to felony first-degree theft, according to reports from WQUAD.
Her plea means she now faces up to 10 years at her sentencing which will take place at a later date.
GoFundMe has since banned Russo and reimbursed everyone who donated.
Amelia Jones