Amanda C. Riley, a young churchgoing mom from San Jose, California, was diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2012. Her brother started an online fundraiser to help her with medical bills and daily living expenses. Amanda also started a blog called "Lymphoma Can Suck It" to share updates about her battle with cancer.
Over the next several years, Amanda's story brought in more than $100,000 in donations from hundreds of people. She also inspired thousands more, including country music star LeeAnn Rimes, who invited Amanda for a meet-and-greet and gifted her an autographed guitar.
However, none of this was true. Amanda did not actually have cancer.
In June 2015, an ex-friend of Amanda's named Lisa Berry contacted investigative journalist Nancy Moscatiello with a tip. Berry suspected that Amanda's story was not true. Moscatiello began to investigate and found that many details of Amanda's story did not add up. She brought her findings to a local police detective, who then launched an investigation.
The investigation revealed that Amanda had falsified medical records, forged physicians' letters, and threatened lawsuits against anyone who doubted her story. She also posted photos of herself at hospitals and taking medication, and even shaved her head to make it appear as if she had lost her hair as a result of chemotherapy.
In 2019, Amanda was arrested on federal wire fraud charges. She pleaded guilty in October 2021 and was sentenced to 60 months in prison. She is currently at a residential reentry center in Long Beach, California, and is expected to be released on December 4, 2025.
Amanda's story is a reminder that not everything you see online is true. It is important to be critical of the information you consume and to do your own research before believing something you read or hear.
8 Comments
Martin L King
We should focus on the positive. Amanda has inspired many people with her story, and she can still do good in the world.
Rolihlahla
I hope she can use her experience to help others.
G P Floyd Jr
Let's not forget all the good she did with her blog. She helped many people through their cancer journeys.
Rolihlahla
We should all be able to learn from this. Sometimes, people make bad choices, but that doesn't mean they're bad people.
Pupsik
I understand why people are angry, but I think we should try to have compassion. She was clearly going through a lot and didn't know how to cope.
Leonardo
I don't think she should be punished so harshly. She's already served time in prison and is now trying to rebuild her life.
Raphael
Disgusted! This woman preyed on people's compassion and generosity for her own selfish gains. She deserves every bit of her sentence.
Marishka
I feel so betrayed! I donated to Amanda's cause thinking I was helping someone in need. Now I feel like a fool.