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Scam artist Alicia Tolton, 27, shaved her hair, donned a bandana and told people was suffering from ovarian and breast cancer, keeping up the scam for more than 18 months.
But she told pals she needed help to raise the money to pay for surgery and other medical bills and with their help she organized a benefit for herself, ordering and soliciting tickets, t-shirts and raffles.
Prosecutor Kate McGill told the court in Norristown, PA: "She took advantage of people’s goodwill in probably the most despicable way possible by pretending to have cancer, so that she could solicit money and gifts from people.
"And she used that money to buy drugs to support her habit.”
Authorities estimate Tolton took in about $1,000 from the fundraiser and received two tickets to a Philadelphia Eagles game, which she admitted using to pay her bills, and a drug debt.
In addition, the investigation also revealed that Tolton fraudulently designed and presented medical invoices and receipts using the Fox Chase Cancer Center logo.
Investigators said Tolton was never a patient at Fox Chase.
Tolton was arrested after police set up a sting claiming the Upper Moreland police union wanted to give her a donation.
McGill added: “She had the guts to come into the police station to collect that donation.”
Tolton was sentenced Monday to 11 ½ to 23 months in prison on charges of theft by deception, forgery and tampering with records.
She will also have to serve three years of probation
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