Teen accused of taking $17,000 in donations for cancer hoax

[The Northerner]

(Reuters) - A Texas teenager faces theft charges after police said she duped her community into giving her $17,000 because they erroneously believed she was dying of cancer.

Ruth Angelica Gomez, 18, of Horizon City, Texas, created the Achieve the Dream foundation, under which she held fund-raising events and solicited donations to help cure her leukemia, which she had said would claim her life before the year ended, Horizon City police Detective Liliana Medina said.

Yet there was no indication that Gomez ever had cancer, police said.

She is being charged with felony theft by deception, punishable by up to two years in jail and a $10,000 fine.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/15/us-crime-cancer-hoax-idUSTRE78E5UG20110915

[saras]

1. I hate to sound cruel, but it would only be fair if she actually got cancer in a few years...

...and ran into the obvious problem when trying to raise money for medical bills...

[Cirque du So-What]

4. Well, then, in the best of all possible worlds

she'll go to prison, get cancer, then receive medical treatment on the public dime. :sarcasm:

[KansDem]

2. "...felony theft by deception"

Consider:
GOP "theft by deception" of Social Security;
Bank and Wall Street "theft by deception" of TARP;
Bush/Cheney "theft by deception" of taxpayer money to fund wars...

Any others?

[Blue_Tires]

3. Don't tell me the parents were completely unaware of this...

I also got burned for $200 once by a high schooler's sob story (she was even on the local news with her teacher)...Never again...

[TBF]

6. I was wondering where her parents were as well -

I think I'd notice if one of my kids came into $17,000.

[izquierdista]

5. I think she's a winner!

Send her to Oral Roberts University. With those credentials, she should get advanced placement.

[Raschel]

7. What a psychopath. It's people like her that have others second-guessing donations.

I am very grateful for the help I've received through different foundations and it came from all of the hard work that people put in for races, fundraisers, etc. Many, many people who care about others.

She's sick alright.

[hifiguy]

8. Last chance to send your dollar

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