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Kentucky woman faked having cancer for more than $10,000, police say
Chris Mayhew
Co-workers's suspicions of a 25-year-old Florence woman that she was faking cancer for money led to her arrest Feb. 14 on felony theft charges, said Kenton Commonwealth's Attorney Rob Sanders.
Police arrested Jessica Marie Krecskay at an Erlanger urgent care. Doctor's Urgent Care was listed as her employer, according to the police report.
A grand jury indicted Krecskay Feb. 7 on a charge of theft by deception, a felony charge punishable by up to 10 years in prison. She is accused of taking more than $10,000 over four years between 2013 and 2017.
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Most of the more than $10,000 was donated at private benefits and donations from Krecskay's co-workers and employers, Sanders said. Krecskay never updated co-workers about how donations helped her or discussed a cure, Sanders said.
"Publicity from another fake cancer case prompted those same people to report their suspicions about this defendant to police," Sanders said.
Krecskay is out of jail on a $2,500 bond and is scheduled to be arraignedMarch 4 in Kenton Circuit Court.
News reports in 2017 of a 20-year-old former NKU student accused of faking cancer for money prompted people to eventually call police about Krecskay, Sanders said. That led to a lengthy investigation resulting in Krecskay's arrest.
"Anytime someone uses a false claim of such a dreaded disease for fraudulent purposes, it evokes understandably angry and emotional responses from the many people who actually battle cancer or love someone battling cancer," Sanders said.
"It also undermines legitimate charitable causes if would-be donors have to worry about being scammed."
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