Amanda Riley, better known as “Scamanda,” bilked donors out of almost $250,000 by faking a terminal cancer diagnosis. Her lies would soon be exposed.
the community raised $ 100,000 , it started with $500 a month
the sympathy money was rolling in by the sthousands
all with heartfelt intent from friends and churchgoers to help a young women with a horrible cancer diagnos.
amanda riley a bubbbly california wife and mom
and self-proclaimed devout christian
eagerly joined the cancer varrior community
her attention of celebrities from leann rhymes
to glee’s matthew morrison.
but amandas real diagnoses was about to change…
information that amanda gave didn’t make sense these things are not adding up .
it turns out she didn’t have cancer at all it was just one big money grabbing scam
after bilked her community of close to a quarter of a million dollar dollars riley was arrested
and is doing time in a federal prison.
her stoy is now in the headlines with the release of tha ABC studios and Hulu documentary series- scamanda.
true crime news managing editor nancy moscatiello first discovered amanda riley’s scam .she’ve been working on this case for years.
nancy said it was her blogg she was so detailed she gave so much information once she got a hold of that it was full of information nancy could fact check
that was her downfall because when you can prrove they’re lying then all otherthings fall into place.
scamanda based on the number one podcast by the same name takes a deep dive into these elaborate con with so many victims
so as far as victims are concerned the list that the government submitted was 347 victims.
amanda documented everything posting pictures on her website
and updating her supposed cancer treatments…it was all a fake.
nancy moscatiello don’t thin she was like a super genius in the world of crime but what she hiding behind nancy don’t think she realized how much it did protect her to get away with it for as long she did .
nancy’s investigation prompted cops to start digging local police and federal agents raided amanda’s house.
if you’re defrauding someone ot becomes a financial crime whether it’s an individual or a business or even the government.
with her lives unraveling amanda was busted. she pleaded guilty to wire fraud and was sentenced to 5 years.
this was the first time a cancer scammer of this like through wire fraud was ever prosecuted through the federal government.
now as amanda sits behind bars wiewers will gett a behind these scenes look at the women now
infamously named scamanda.
Her secrets and lies
what suprising is the lengths that she went to fake the cancer.
these all these pictures of her in the hospital.
with IVs
tubing
the information amanda gave
didn’t make sense.
she was being accused of faking cancer , everyone knows. the level she had taken scam to . this is beyond disgusting .
how can a mother do that ?
this is an absolute nightmarae , she hurts tons of people, she betrayed and ripped apart families.why would somebody fake such a horrible disease?
it was only matter of time until amanda’s whole world came tumbling.
the question lingered would amanda conquer the formidable fo that was hodgikin’s lymphoma
this cruel hand she as dealt with ultimately overpower her amanda faced the toughest fight of her life
yet her resilient spirit left a profound mark on the hearts of everyone who knew her.
as the online community held its breath hoping for amanda’s triumphant recovery a schocking twist emerged that would shake everyone to their core
amandas ‘s one inspriational story took a dark turn leaving her followers stunned and betrayed.
with her bald head hravely on display amanda had g garned even more support and adminration from her devoted followers then out of nowhere she shared what seemed like a micraculous update.
not only had she beaten cancer but she had also conceived her second child whom she lovingly regerred to as ” the miracle baby”
the news spread lile wildfire and the outpouring of joy and hope was owerwhelming.
yet as the clouds of uncertainty began to gather once again amanda dropped another bombshell in heart -wrenching post.
she disclose that the cancer had returned and this time it was more vicious than ever stage 4 metastatic cancer.
she claimed was ragaing her body giving her a mere two to thtree months to live without treatment her followers were devestated rallying around her with messages of love and support hoping for another miracle .
but what came next shattered their trust and the foundations of the story they had come to believe in so fervently amanda’s world came crashing down then the truth emerged it was all a lie.the now 37 year old women whom their held in their hearts witch compassion never had cancer at all.
explosive news left the community in disbelief and outrage .
how could someone fabricate such an elaborate web of deceit expoiting the symphaty and goodwill of those who genuinely care for her as the story unraveled questions arose about amanda’s motives and what drove her to deceive so many .
the once inspiring tale of courage triumph now stood tainted leaving everyone wondering why someone would pretend to endure such a harrowing battle .
the high schol students who followed a managed journey were left with valuable lessons about the power and peril of internet
and how even the the most inspiring stories could be distorted and manipulated.
the community had to come to terms with the truth and grapple with the emotional aftermath discovering that the person they rallied behind was not who they believed her to be.
an investigation into what led amanda to construct such an elaborate facade
and how the online world became both a source and a platform for deceit had begun.
the journey to uncover the truth that followed tested the limits of trust compassion and the complexities of human heart .
according to t prosecutors amanda shamelessly manipulated her online presence cunningly craft lifting an illussion of a devastating medical condition
through her blogg and social media accounts tshe artfully weaved a tale of a cancer battle that never existed
tuggingat the heartstrings of her followers who believed they were supporting her through a life or death struggle.
her calculated decption knew no bonds as she skilfully solicited money from staggering 349 individuals all of whom genuinely believed they were aiding her fight aagainst cancer .
the web of lies was so convincing that even some of her own family members awaited her in pending demise. their hears filled with grief and despair.
but behind the facade of a courageous fighter lay a cold and calculating mind.
the U.S attorney’s office showed the extent of amanda’s deceit
accusing her of using her online presence as a tool to dupe others into donating moneyy supposedly meant for her medical expenses.
quote in truth the statement declared , riley had no medical expenses unquote.
the donation that poured in. from her sympathetic followers were not utilized to combat a deadly illness.
but rather they were siphoned into amanada’s personal bank acconts funding her everyday living expenses as she continued to work her elaborate charade
as the investigation deepened high school students across the nation were left bewildered and perplexed .
how could someone they had admired for her strenght and resilience turned out to be a master manpulator exploiting the very people wh ocared for her .
the unbelievable tale of amanda scamanda riley shed light on the sinister side of the internet. revealing how seemingly genuine people could be mask dark secrets.
the true extent of amanda’s decptin came to light as the web of lies she wove grew even more intricate and disturbing.
authorities alleged that the ones beloved mother of two had gone to extreme lenghts to bolster her a fictitious cancer story .
in a sinister twist it was revealed that amanda had shaved her own head to lend credibility to her tale of battle and cancer.
but her deceit dosen’t end there to further solidify her falsehoods she had allegedly fabricated medical records creating a paper trail of meddical condition that never existed.
when suspicions began to arise and an investigative producer received an anonymous tip-off amanda’s true nature emerged unwilling to let her charade be exposed.
she took drasticmeasures and sued the producer in an attempt to silence any inquiry into her farbricated illness.
as peope began to ask questions about the authentiviyu of her hospital photos a dark pattern emerged.
according to charlie webester th hoset of the show scamanda amanda would feign illness
or fainting then rushed to the emergency room claiming she .was suffering dehydration or cancer -related complications.
this ruse would result immediate treatment including being hooked up to IV drips .
in those vulnerable moments she would seize the opportunity to capture a stram of hospital photos documenting her supposed struggle with cance across the various emergency rooms
but amanda’s lies didn’t stop at hospital visits she went as fat as obtaining medical equipment to add a convincing touch to her fraudulent narrative deceiving.
not only her online followers but also the medical professionals who were trying to help
the high school students who once admired amanda for her apparent bravery and resilience now found themselves confronting the unsettling reality of a master manipulator
a tale of scamanda became a cautionary example of how the allure of sympathy and admiration could lead someone down an diabolical path of lies and deception.
as more details came to light it became clear that amanda riley’s sick games had caught the attention of the authorities
in 2019 both the internal revenue service
and the san jose police launched a thorough investigation into her elaborate scheme
unearthing the shocking truth, the evidence against riley was overwhelming and she soon found herself facingg the consequences of her actions .
charged with one count of wire fraud she had no choice but to face the gravity of her narcissism stood before the court and pleaded guilty finally admitting to the nedless hoax she had perpetrated on her her followers .
in a stunningturn of events the sentencing hearing arrived casting a solemn shadow over amanda’s fate.
the courtrom was filled with tension and emotion as her family members watched torn between the person they once knew and the reality who she really was.
amandas brother tom maneri stood up speak on her behalf seeking to give insight to her motivations he bravely shared heis belief that his sister’s actions were possibly driven by a desperate plea for attention and help.
tom expressed his confidence that amanda had trapped herself in a hole she dug so deep that she couldn’t find a way to escape from it.he spoke of the heavy burden she carried
suggesting that after years of living with a colossal lie it had become part of her very identity .
the judge weighed amanda’s crimes against her brother’s heartfelt words while the courtroom held it’s breath as the sentence was announced -five years behin bars.
understandably her deception was not taken lightly and the justice system sought to hold her accountable for the pain she had caused
she was ordered to pay restitution facing the consequences of her actions in both prison time and financial reparation.
the sentencing in may 2022 marked the end ofa long and harrowing chapter in the life of amanda christine riley
living her family and followes grappling with the dual rality of the person they once knew and the person she had become
from amandas fabricated battled with cancer to the devastating impact on her unsuspecting followers thistory revealed how deep the rabbit hole went.