A woman described as a “sociopath” admitted to deceiving a genuine cancer survivor by fabricating a pancreatic cancer diagnosis and collecting £15,000 in donations, which she spent on herself and her children. Haleigh Knight, residing in Las Vegas, Nevada, received $20,000 (£14,737) in donations via a fraudulent fundraising page over the period of June 2023 to April 2024. Knight maintained a lavish lifestyle on TikTok while pretending to have the illness, with the intention of eliciting sympathy and increased companionship.
Facing a felony theft charge, Knight’s actions were exposed by one of her victims, a legitimate cancer survivor, who recounted being manipulated by the perpetrator into becoming her “chemo angel.” Suzanne Duroy, one of the donors to Knight’s GoFundMe campaign, expressed shock upon discovering the deceit, having initially met Knight in 2022 during their employment at a surgery center. Duroy had relocated to Florida to assist her mother, prompted by Knight’s sister who reached out regarding the false diagnosis.
In a heart-wrenching turn of events, Duroy became Knight’s “chemo angel,” sending her gift cards and presents totaling nearly $1,000 (£736). Learning of the deception left Duroy in disbelief, stating, “I couldn’t believe it. I really could not believe it.” Numerous individuals, including Rachel Riedel, labeled Knight as a “sociopath” capable of scamming anyone within reach, causing dismay within the community and her own family.
Prosecutors revealed incriminating text messages from Knight confessing to impersonating others and setting up multiple accounts to sustain her predatory scheme. Following these revelations, a GoFundMe spokesperson announced the ban on Knight’s fundraising accounts, emphasizing the platform’s strict stance against fraudulent activities. Knight pleaded guilty to the charges, agreeing to pay restitution of $19,787.12 as part of a plea deal. She must fulfill probationary obligations and other terms before downgrading her felony plea to a misdemeanor theft charge and receiving credit for time served.
