Pa. Beauty Queen Allegedly Faked Cancer To Benefit From Fundraisers
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (CBS/AP) — A Pennsylvania beauty queen has been jailed on charges she faked having leukemia to benefit from fundraisers, and has been jailed and will be stripped of her title.
Authorities say she even tricked her own sister into believing she was sick.
Online court records show 23-year-old Brandi Lee Weaver-Gates, of State College, was arraigned Tuesday on charges of theft by deception and receiving stolen property. State police say an April bingo benefit raised $14,000 for the Miss Pennsylvania U.S. International pageant winner.
Investigators first caught on to the alleged scam through an anonymous tip.
Trooper Thomas Stock, of Pennsylvania State Police says, "There were some inconsistencies such as Ms. Weaver-Gates' hair was always there and never falling out. She did not know the names of her doctors, and other things like that."
Investigators also contacted centers, such as Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, where Weaver-Gates claims she was undergoing treatment.
"Speaking with all of the locations, it was discovered she never received any type of treatment at any of the locations," Trooper Stock says.
Instead, police say it was all part of an elaborate plan. Authorities say Weaver-Gates shaved her head and took alleged fake treatment trips, even duped her own sister.
"Her sister would have to stay on the first floor, while Ms. Weaver-Gates would go up to the second floor and allegedly receive her cancer treatments."
Troopers are asking the public to come forward if they have donated money to Weaver-Gates.
Butler's Beauties, the company that sponsors the pageant, says in a Facebook page statement that they were also "led to believe that she was dealing with this horrible disease" and are making her return her crown and sash.
Records don't list an attorney for Weaver-Gates who faces a preliminary hearing Aug. 19.
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