Kelly Wasko, Gilbert Woman Who Faked Cancer for Cash, Pleads Guilty to Charges | Valley Fever | Phoenix | Phoenix New Times | The Leading Independent News Source in Phoenix, Arizona
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Kelly Wasko, Gilbert Woman Who Faked Cancer for Cash, Pleads Guilty to Charges

Kelly Wasko, one of three Valley women accused in the past few months of being a cancer faker, pleaded guilty to three charges related to her arrest.Wasko, a 41-year-old Gilbert resident, made about $12,000 after duping family and friends, who created a Facebook account to accept donations for Wasko's imaginary...
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Kelly Wasko, one of three Valley women accused in the past few months of being a cancer faker, pleaded guilty to three charges related to her arrest.

Wasko, a 41-year-old Gilbert resident, made about $12,000 after duping family and friends, who created a Facebook account to accept donations for Wasko's imaginary bone-marrow transplant, according to Gilbert police.

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According to police, Wasko told family and friends that she "desperately needed" the transplant, which her insurance wouldn't cover.

She made $12,000 via donations after the Facebook page was created, including $1,000 from her own adult daughter and $350 from a person who actually had cancer.

Wasko also conned another person out of $8,000, Gilbert PD said, as part of a scheme in which Wasko claimed her adult daughter had died.

Other scams reportedly included being pregnant, her children being kidnapped, being evicted, and having a kidney infection.

Wasko was arrested on 11 charges in December, after Gilbert PD found more alleged scams Wasko was running.

She pleaded guilty today to charges of theft, attempted theft, and fraudulent schemes, in an apparent plea agreement.

Wasko's sentencing is scheduled for May 7.

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