An Iowa woman who falsely claimed to have cancer and documented her “battle” on social media will remain out of prison after a judge granted her probation and a suspended sentence.
Madison Russo, 20, never had pancreatic cancer, leukemia or the football-sized tumor surrounding her spine, she said in posts on TikTok, GoFundMe, Facebook and LinkedIn.
But more than 400 people sent him donations.
As part of the 10-year suspended sentence handed down Friday, he was ordered to pay $39,000 in restitution and a $1,370 fine.
If he stays out of trouble during his three years of probation, he will remain free.
The Bettendorf woman pleaded guilty in June to first-degree robbery.
Madison Russo’s suspicious claims that she was sick fell apart when medical professionals discovered discrepancies in her online story. TikTok/drugstore_cowgirl Madison Russo received a 10-year suspended sentence and was ordered to pay $39,000 in restitution in addition to a $1,370 fine. AP
In court Friday, Judge John Telleen rejected a defense request that would have expunged the conviction from his record if he had successfully completed probation.
He said people dealing with her in the future should know that she once participated in a “criminal scheme” and that “serious crimes must have serious consequences.”
“Through this scheme, he deceived his friends, his family, his community, other cancer victims, charities and strangers who were motivated by his supposedly tragic story to donate to help him,” the judge said.
Madison Russo claimed in court that she made up her cancer diagnosis because she wanted more attention from her family.GoFundMe
Russo told the court she made up her story because she hoped her fake battle with cancer would force her troubled family to focus on her.
“A lot of people have speculated about why I did this and how someone who seemed to have it all together could have such a mess,” he said. “I didn’t do this for money or greed. I didn’t do this to get attention. “I did this as an attempt to reunite my family.”
His sentence also includes 100 hours of community service.
She paid restitution of $39,000 earlier and the money was being held by the court.
GoFundMe has already sent refunds to donors.
His scam unraveled when medical professionals spotted discrepancies in his online history.
Madison Russo lied about having pancreatic cancer, leukemia and a tumor (which she claimed was the size of a soccer ball) around her spine, she claimed in posts on TikTok, GoFundMe, Facebook and LinkedIn. Facebook
Police subpoenaed his medical records and discovered that he had never been diagnosed with cancer at any medical center in the area.
She was arrested in January.
Scott County Prosecutor Kelly Cunningham recommended no prison time because Russo had no criminal record, had good grades in college, was employed and was unlikely to reoffend.
That upset Rhonda Miles, who runs a pancreatic cancer foundation in Nashville, Tennessee, who donated to Russo and testified at the hearing.
“It was devastating to sit there and watch the Scott County prosecutor act like a defense attorney, so it was difficult,” Miles said.
“And I think at some point he will have to answer a lot of questions from locals about that. Why did you defend this girl when you were supposed to prosecute her?
Russo apologized to the court and his victims and said he wished he had sought help regarding his family.
“I fully recognize that what I did was wrong. And I am so sorry,” she said between sobs. “If there was anything I could do to get him back, I would do it. The reality is that I can’t.”
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Source: vtt.edu.vn