A woman referred to as a “sociopath” admitted to deceiving a real cancer survivor by falsely claiming to have pancreatic cancer to receive £15,000 in donations, which she spent on herself and her children. Haleigh Knight, residing in Las Vegas, Nevada, collected $20,000 (£14,737) through a fraudulent fundraising page over a period from June 2023 to April 2024. Knight maintained a fake cancer diagnosis while living a social media influencer lifestyle on TikTok, aiming to elicit sympathy and support from others.
Facing felony theft charges, Knight manipulated individuals, including a genuine cancer survivor, into believing she was battling cancer, with one victim describing how Knight tricked her into becoming her “chemo angel.” Suzanne Duroy, who donated to Knight’s GoFundMe campaign, expressed shock upon discovering the deceit, recounting her personal connection with Knight dating back to 2022. Suzanne, who had relocated to Florida to care for her mother, had been swindled by Knight’s fabricated illness, leading her to provide emotional and financial support.
Numerous individuals fell victim to Knight’s scheme, with Rachel Riedel labeling her as a “sociopath” known for exploiting others. Prosecutors revealed incriminating text messages from Knight, admitting to assuming fake identities and using multiple accounts to sustain her fraudulent activities.
Following the scandal, GoFundMe banned Knight from launching future fundraising campaigns, emphasizing their stringent stance against fraudulent behavior. Knight pleaded guilty to the charges and agreed to pay restitution of $19,787.12 in a plea agreement. As part of the resolution, she must fulfill probationary terms and plead guilty to a misdemeanor theft charge before being eligible for sentence reduction.