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Beauty Queen Jailed on Fake Cancer Charges

Her alleged fraud netted her quite the bingo benefit
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Aug 12, 2015 5:29 PM CDT
Beauty Queen Charged With Faking Cancer Worth $14K
A Pennsylvania beauty queen has been charged with faking cancer for money.   (Shutterstock)

A 23-year-old Pennsylvania beauty queen is in jail after allegedly faking leukemia in order to reap the benefits of fundraisers. Miss Pennsylvania US International pageant winner Brandi Lee Weaver-Gates was charged with theft by deception and receiving stolen property yesterday. Police say she received $14,000 from a bingo benefit held for her because, as the pageant sponsor put it in a Facebook post, "she was dealing with this horrible disease." The pageant sponsor is making Weaver-Gates return her crown and sash, and she is being stripped of her title. Police are asking anyone who has donated money to Weaver-Gates to come forward. (Read more crime stories.)

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