Amanda Christine Riley, a Southern California woman, defrauded compassionate strangers by fabricating a cancer diagnosis and soliciting over $100,000 in donations for nonexistent medical treatments. Riley, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges in 2022, is now serving a five-year prison sentence after the elaborate scam came to light. The deception spanned more than a decade, during which Riley captivated supporters with her heart-wrenching tales of battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
The scheme began around 2010, when Riley first claimed to have been diagnosed with cancer. Through her popular blog, she detailed her supposed struggles and garnered sympathy from over 300 individuals who donated a total of $105,513. Her narrative became increasingly elaborate, including announcements about her pregnancy—remarkable news for someone purportedly undergoing chemotherapy with an IUD.
Riley's fraudulent activities did not go unnoticed, as healthcare experts later speculated that she exhibited symptoms of Münchausen syndrome, a psychological disorder where individuals feign illness to draw attention and sympathy. Following her arrest in 2020, it was revealed that Riley had manipulated her medical records to support her claims. In one instance, a medical professional noted that “perhaps not surprisingly, however, defendant’s medical records make clear that she does not actually suffer from any acute health problems at all,” according to prosecutor Michael Pitman.
Despite her claims, Riley frequently visited the emergency room for various ailments during her first 18 months in prison, raising further suspicions among medical staff. Multiple healthcare professionals observed that she would attempt to manipulate test results to appear sicker than she was. This behavior confirmed the suspicions of those around her, as described by Nancy Moscatiello, who remarked, “Some weren’t reading the blog because they were seeing her all the time and getting direct updates — so they didn’t see some of the more ridiculous claims she was making about treatment to the public.”
Riley was sentenced in 2022 after pleading guilty to the charges. Following her sentencing, she was released from a Texas prison in December 2024 and is currently residing at a Southern California reentry center. She is scheduled to be released on December 4, 2025.
In the wake of this scandal, victims of Riley's deception have begun speaking out. Lindsey Wilder, one of the individuals who contributed to Riley’s fundraising efforts, expressed her disbelief at the extent of the fraud: “This came on suddenly; it came on hard.” Lisa Berry also recalled her initial reaction upon discovering the popularity of Riley's blog: “At some point, I started reading her blog. She’s posting pictures and I just was surprised seeing all the attention that she’s getting for it.”
Riley’s story garnered significant media attention and became the subject of a new docuseries titled "Scamanda, Lymphoma Can Suck It," which premiered on January 30, 2023. The series delves into her fraudulent activities and examines the emotional toll it took on her victims.
In a revealing statement during her trial, Riley attempted to justify her actions by saying, “Oh, my doctor said I could stop the chemo and radiation or anything that is for my cancer till the baby’s born. And then we could start again.” This statement highlighted the extent of her deceit and manipulation.
As Riley continues to serve her sentence, many of those who supported her are left grappling with feelings of betrayal and regret. Moscatiello noted that some of Riley's friends in the medical field now feel guilty for not suspecting anything sooner: “I know some of her friends in the medical field have beaten themselves up after hearing the podcast and feel terrible they didn’t suspect anything.”
Leave a Reply