Jessica Krecskay, 25, was arrested on Feb. 14 on a felony charge of theft by deception. (Kenton County Detention Center)
A woman in Northern Kentucky is facing felony charges after she allegedly faked a cancer diagnosis and ultimately swindled thousands of dollars from coworkers and other sympathizers in donations.
Jessica Marie Krecskay, 25, was arrested on Feb. 14 on felony theft charges, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported. If convicted, she could face up to 10 years in jail.
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Between 2013 and 2017, Krecskay reportedly amassed roughly $10,000 in donations from coworkers and others after telling them she had ovarian cancer that had spread throughout her body, Fox 19 reported.
A former coworker told the news station that some of Krecskay’s colleagues would clean her house or give their vacation time to her when they believed she was ill.
“The other girls at work would clean her house for her, take her out to eat all the time," Jessica Lunsford said, adding the 25-year-old also shaved her head as a way to sell her story. "Gave their own sick time and vacation time hours to go towards her.”
Rob Sanders, the attorney for the 16th Judicial Circuit in Kenton County, told the Cincinnati Enquirer that police began investigating Krecskay after people called expressing concerns her cancer story was not true.
"Publicity from another fake cancer case prompted those same people to report their suspicions about this defendant to police," Sanders said, referring to when a Northern Kentucky University student in 2017 also allegedly faked a cancer diagnosis for money.
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"Anytime someone uses a false claim of such a dreaded disease for fraudulent purposes, it evokes understandably angry and emotional responses from the many people who actually battle cancer or love someone battling cancer," Sanders added.
Krecskay was released from jail on $2,500 bond. Her arraignment in Kenton County Circuit Court is slated for March 4.
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