A woman described as a “sociopath” admitted to deceiving a genuine cancer survivor into becoming her “chemo angel” after fabricating a pancreatic cancer diagnosis to receive £15,000 in donations. Haleigh Knight, hailing from Las Vegas, Nevada, managed to secure $20,000 (£14,737) through a fraudulent online fundraiser over a ten-month period, fooling individuals such as a close friend and breast cancer conqueror. Operating a TikTok account, Knight projected a false image of battling the disease, aiming to elicit sympathy and affection from others.
Facing charges of felony theft, Knight’s deceit impacted a legitimate cancer survivor who shared her experience of being duped by the perpetrator into a caregiver role. Suzanne Duroy, one of the deceived donors, expressed disbelief upon learning the truth, having initially connected with Knight in 2022 at their workplace. Suzanne, who took on the role of Knight’s “chemo angel,” sent gifts totaling nearly $1,000 (£736) before realizing the scam, stating, “I couldn’t believe it. I really could not believe it.”
Numerous victims, including Rachel Riedel, criticized Knight as a “sociopath” and a manipulator who exploited her community and loved ones. Prosecutors revealed incriminating text messages wherein Knight admitted to assuming false identities and creating multiple accounts to sustain her fraudulent scheme. Following the revelations, the fundraising platform GoFundMe banned Knight from initiating any future campaigns, emphasizing a strict stance against fraudulent activities.
In a plea agreement, Knight confessed to the charges and committed to repaying $19,787.12 in restitution. As part of the settlement, she must complete probation and fulfill additional conditions before downgrading her felony conviction to a misdemeanor offense, thus serving her sentence.
