This content has been rewritten to be smarter, creative, 100% unique, and human-written. The syntax, tone, and SEO have been improved. HTML tags have been maintained.
Welcome to Suspicious Circumstances, our true crime newsletter that delivers the biggest unsolved mysteries, white collar scandals, and captivating cases straight to your inbox every week. If you haven’t already, sign up here to join the community.
In 2012, Amanda C. Riley created her blog, “Lymphoma Can Suck It,” after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in her late 20s. Throughout her blog, social media platforms, public speaking engagements, and appearances at her megachurch, Riley chronicled her battle against cancer for over seven years. As a charismatic and inspiring Christian, she shared both her heartbreaks and triumphs with thousands of people. Her story resonated with others, resulting in an outpouring of donations, support, and assistance with her medical expenses. The generosity extended to babysitting, gift cards, concert tickets, and travel vouchers. Her fellow church members celebrated her moments of remission as miracles and prayed fervently for her recovery during her terrible relapses. Riley had the support of her family, friends, church community, cancer foundations, other cancer patients, and compassionate strangers.
However, what she didn’t have was cancer.
According to the popular podcast “Scamanda,” Riley had been perpetuating a massive scam the entire time. She deceived people and exploited their generosity and kindness to fund her lavish lifestyle. She targeted individuals whose loved ones were genuinely suffering from cancer and even took advantage of fundraising efforts for genuinely sick individuals. Her tactics included attending cancer patient support groups, where she would gather information about their experiences and treatments to make her deception more convincing. Hosted by British broadcaster Charlie Webster and produced by Nancy Moscatiello, a journalist who spent years investigating Riley’s inconsistencies after receiving an anonymous tip, “Scamanda” sheds light on Riley’s outrageous claims. With excerpts from Riley’s own blog and interviews with skeptical friends who eventually distanced themselves from her, the podcast exposes the audacity and commitment she displayed in her deceit. Listening to “Scamanda,” one can’t help but be astounded by Riley’s lies, such as claiming that her pregnancy was reversing cancer, enduring terminal illness for years on and off, getting fluid drained from her brain one morning before swimming in a friend’s pool just hours later, and self-administering chemotherapy at home. The podcast captivates listeners as they try to comprehend how anyone could believe such absurd claims.
While Moscatiello and millions of others witnessed their loved ones deteriorating as cancer ravaged their bodies, Riley seemed to thrive in perfect health. Although she once shaved her head, her social media posts and blog pictures over the seven-plus years of her scheme showed her radiant and full of energy. Even while traveling across the country for supposedly lifesaving but outrageously expensive treatments funded by her supporters, she shared pictures of sightseeing, appearing spirited and enjoying what seemed like any other family vacation. According to one blog post from that trip, which is featured on “Scamanda,” Riley watched “Wicked” on Broadway, witnessed the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball, and observed ice skaters twirling around the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
Riley’s blog also featured photos of herself in hospital settings with oxygen tubes on her rosy cheeks and catheters in her arms and chest, as well as bald-headed shots with intact eyebrows and eyelashes. One of her most astounding claims was having terminal cancer and undergoing chemotherapy during two pregnancies, yet miraculously delivering healthy baby boys against all medical odds. The few individuals close to her who had doubts rarely voiced them publicly and were hesitant to speak with Moscatiello. Those who did express skepticism faced retaliation from Riley and her husband, Cory. During their bitter custody battle over Cory’s daughter, Jessa, Cory accused Jessa’s mother, Alita, of claiming that Riley faked cancer, emphasizing his disgust at such an outrageous accusation. The judge ultimately awarded full custody to the Rileys. Jessa later expressed her resentment, feeling like a full-time babysitter for her younger brothers while her mother pretended to be ill and her father frequently neglected the family.
Unsurprisingly, Amanda Riley sued Moscatiello for harassment, seeking a restraining order after the journalist began questioning the authenticity of Riley’s cancer diagnosis. However, this intimidation tactic failed as a judge dismissed the case. Moscatiello was not alone in her suspicions. The US attorney for the Northern District of California later stated that Riley provided false testimony during legal proceedings and attacked anyone who suggested that she was feigning her illness. Moscatiello delved into Riley’s past blogs, tracked her social media updates, and documented the generous donations she received in cash, checks, gift cards, meal deliveries, and travel expenses for her alleged medical treatments. Eventually, Moscatiello’s efforts, with the help of a local detective, prompted the Internal Revenue Service to investigate. As a result, Riley was charged with wire fraud in July 2020 for using $100,000 in online donations for personal expenses. In 2022, she was sentenced to five years in federal prison.
After devouring “Scamanda,” I dived into other podcasts, news articles, and interviews about cancer scammers. It’s surprising how similar their scams are. Both Riley and Megan Bhari, who faked a brain tumor, visited Disney theme parks — Riley went to Disneyland, while Bhari enjoyed an extended stay at a Disney World resort. Riley boasted encounters with celebrities like LeAnn Rimes and collected autographed guitars from Journey and Tower of Power for fundraising auctions. Bhari took photos with pop group One Direction. Meanwhile, Coco Berthmann, a well-known human rights advocate who claimed to be a victim of sex trafficking by her own mother, allegedly received a record contract offer from Celine Dion before she was charged with felony communications fraud in May 2022 for accepting thousands of dollars in donations while faking cancer. Belle Gibson pretended to have cancer and reinvented herself as a “wellness guru,” attributing her recovery to a healthy lifestyle. Another influencer in Taiwan secured sponsorships as a dedicated weightlifter during the three years she falsely claimed to have cancer. College student Maddie Russo frequently played golf, although she falsely informed her TikTok followers that she had two forms of cancer and a spinal tumor.
The phenomenon of individuals faking cancer or other illnesses has psychological factors behind it. People with Munchausen’s syndrome, also known as factitious disorder, feign symptoms to receive medical treatment, often causing harm to themselves intentionally. In HuffPost interviews, a psychiatrist and a psychologist noted the distinction between this mental disorder and malingering, which involves fabricating or exaggerating illnesses for practical gains, such as crowdfunding money or evading punishment. Looking at a picture from Amanda Riley’s blog, in which she thanks her supporters for donating gift cards, it’s disheartening to realize the extent of her deception.
While “Scamanda” is undeniably compelling, it can also be frustrating. The timeline can be confusing, as it jumps between the past and recent events, making it difficult to discern which period of Riley’s life is being discussed. Repetitive segments and inadequate introductions of the interviewees and their relationships to Riley and each other exacerbate the confusion. The fact that most contributors are white women with similar voices, and some choose to remain anonymous, further complicates matters. Nevertheless, “Scamanda” exposes the shocking truth about Riley’s deceitful actions, leaving listeners both captivated and bewildered.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
