The FBI is currently looking into a Pennsylvania woman who allegedly swindled friends and family out of thousands by falsely claiming she had terminal cancer.
Identified as 37-year-old Vanessa O’Rourke, she reportedly used the funds for a vacation in Australia, according to a Sunday report.
“O’Rourke’s situation is just one of several shocking ‘fake cancer’ scams recently, where individuals have taken advantage of people’s sympathy and emotional support networks for financial gain,” the report stated.
The FBI’s Most Wanted page highlights that O’Rourke was accused of deceitfully claiming she had been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor, namely glioblastoma, and was seeking money for treatment and assistance.
Between October 2015 and July 2016, O’Rourke told her family and friends she needed to go to Australia for an experimental cancer treatment. Through her fraudulent claims, she received financial support. By April 2016, O’Rourke traveled to Australia, where she participated in leisure activities instead of medical treatment.
After returning to the U.S., she asked friends and family to help organize two fundraisers on her behalf. A webpage was created and an event was held at a local Pennsylvania restaurant, leading many to donate for her supposed cancer treatment. She used some of the funds for another trip to Australia in 2016, where, once again, she engaged in recreational activities without any medical care related to an illness she did not have. O’Rourke was indicted on May 3, 2018, on 15 counts of wire fraud, with a federal arrest warrant issued.
The Mayo Clinic states that there is no cure for those diagnosed with glioblastoma.
“Though treatments like surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy may slow down tumor growth, ease symptoms, and potentially extend life,” the site notes.
O’Rourke’s GoFundMe campaign reportedly raised $11,740 from her local community, as mentioned in a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in 2020.
Former U.S. Attorney William McSwain expressed disgust at the accusations, stating, “The charges are appalling. O’Rourke allegedly exploited the goodwill of kind-hearted people who wished to help. There was no genuine need—only deceit, greed, and callous manipulation.”
It’s been reported that O’Rourke was last known to reside in Queensland, Australia.
