Source: ktsm.com

Horizon City’s Angie Gomez, 19, was recently indicted for receiving donations of up to $17, 000 after lying to people in her community about having cancer. The young woman started her lie in January of last year, telling her high school classmates that she’d found out that she had cancer and only had six months to live. Once word spread about her “diagnosis,” the publications in the area, including the El Paso Times, reached out to interview Gomez and to get her story to the masses. According to ABC News, this is what she told the paper:

“The doctors are telling me to prepare myself and to start planning for what’s about to come. They think the worst is coming, when you start to feel sick and you can’t move. I think they’re all crazy.”

It’s understandable why Gomez was so optimistic and thought doctors were crazy. She was faking, of course! Detective Liliana Medina of the Horizon City Police told ABC News that after investigating, it became clear that Gomez hadn’t had cancer at any point. Ever. In life. Gomez and people in the community started the Achieve the Dream Foundation that was supposed to help young people with cancer. They sold T-shirts and accessories to raise money, but a lot of that money wound up in the hands of Gomez. They even threw a prom in her honor after she told people she missed her high school prom because of treatments for her cancer.

But by summer, people who were helping to raise money for Gomez started to become suspicious of her. Though her cancer was allegedly terminal, she was still up, moving and appeared in great health and spirits. These same individuals informed police, and the investigation kicked off in June of last year. If you’re wondering what role her parents played, somehow the mother of Gomez was unaware for a time that she was doing all of this, but when she found out, she allegedly pushed her daughter to tell the truth. Gomez, now 19, was arrested last week and indicted on a state felony charge of theft of property of $1,500 to $20,000. Her bail is set at $50,000.

Source: nypost.com

And as you should know, Gomez is not the only person who got caught lying about having cancer to attain money and gifts. We told you the story earlier in the month of 25-year-old Jessica Vega, who lied about having leukemia so that she could get people to help her have a lavish wedding and honeymoon. The mother of two told people in her town, which is near NYC, that she just wanted to have her “dream” wedding before she passed. And she did have it–at the expense of those who opened their wallets and hearts to her. But when her new husband found out about her lies, they fell out and eventually divorced, and he told everyone involved that she was a liar. She was arrested on April 3.

Vega was just ordered to somehow pay back $13,368 to her victims, and she will have to remain in jail until May 15 to see if she will have to do any real time. She plead guilty in Orange County Court to scheming to defraud and possession of a forged instrument. The forged instrument was a fake letter by her that was supposed to be signed by a doctor to prove that she was indeed ill. Though her ex-husband is the one who told people she was lying, he plans to help her pay back the victims. Guess he doesn’t want to see the mother of his children go out like that.

It’s truly sad to see the extent people will go to get a little bit (or a lot) of money. There are individuals out here with cancer-stricken children and battling these illnesses themselves, and they could use all the help and d0nations they can get. But instead you’ve got these trifling fools tricking people. Once again, karma is one evil, well-dressed b***h, and these two better look out…

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Jessica Vega and Michael O'Connell - Source: http://www.recordonline.com

A former resident of New York, 25-year-old Jessica Vega has been charged for lying about having leukemia in order to get lavish wedding gifts and money.  People donated to the woman after she made them believe that she was dying. An Orange County grand jury has indicted her with five counts of grand larceny and one count of scheme to defraud for accepting thousands of dollars worth of items and donated services for her big day. Vega got married in 2010, and she and her husband, Michael O’Connell, went to Aruba for their honeymoon. However, four months later O’Connell revealed to people that his new wife faked the illness. I’m guessing he thought her actions were just as dirty as everyone else, because they allegedly divorced over the incident (according to AP). O’Connell says that he wasn’t aware that she was faking when they got married (sounds like someone got trapped…), and when he found out, he helped with the attorney general’s investigation. O’Connell and Vega have two kids now, and despite how bad this makes Vega look, her former husband says, “She’s a good mom, and that’s all that counts at the end of the day. I want my kids to have their mother back.” He believes that she needs mental health treatment rather than jail.

According to the Times Herald-Record, Vega told numerous publications and people that her wish before she passed was to marry O’Connell, the father of her daughter. Reports on it helped the woman garner more and more donations, as people from far and wide rushed to help her have a beautiful wedding and honeymoon. She even showed fake documentation to prove she was in fact ill:

“Vega had offered a letter, purportedly from a Westchester doctor, as proof of her diagnosis, but the doctor’s staff later denied seeing Vega. Along with the felonies, Vega faces a misdemeanor charge of possessing a forged instrument.”

Blame it on the wedding obsessed culture we live in (Hey Bridezillas!) or the fact that this lady just really is a very troubled and cold person, but it’s very sad and pathetic to see that people are out here lying about a serious illness so that they can drop it low in an expensive gown and tan on the beach during a honeymoon they lied to get. She needs to do a lot of community service, soul searching, pay everyone back and hope that karma doesn’t come back to bite her in the behind, because she was wrong on every level possible.

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Legendary rhythm and blues singer Etta James has died. The news comes from her longtime manager and friend, Lupe De Leon. James was 73 years old.

James was diagnosed with leukemia in 2010 and died from complications of the disease with her husband Artis Mills and her two sons by her side.

The artist who passed away in a hospital in Riverside, California would have turned 74 next week Wednesday.

This is what her manager and friend had to say about her death:

” This is a tremendous loss for the family, her friends and fans around the world. She was a true original who could sing it all – her music defied category.”

Our thoughts and prayers are with her family during this time of bereavement.

Solange Knowles is lending her name and her face to raise awareness about blood cancer. The singer, songwriter, DJ and mother recognizes that blood cancers kill more children in the U.S. than any other disease. This is why she’s encouraging each of us to go to GetSwabbed.org to swab our cheeks and see if we’re matches for children who are suffering from leukemia and other blood cancers.

Check out the video below: