Summary
- Scamanda, a true-crime series, reveals how Amanda faked cancer for 8 years deceiving her community.
- IRS gets involved in the case leading to Amanda's trial, where she pleads guilty to numerous charges.
- Amanda Riley is sentenced to 5 years in prison for a scheme that scammed 349 people of over $100,000.
The next big true crime sensation, Scamanda, is an ABC Studios Original, and it debuts with the first episode on Wednesday, October 9, 2024. There are four episodes in total, with the finale airing on October 30. Each one will also air on Hulu the following day. The series is inspired by the Lionsgate podcast of the same name, and it explores the lies and scams of a Californian woman called Amanda Riley.
Amanda Riley pretended to have cancer for eight years, and conned her many supporters out of large sums of money. The podcast launched in May 2023 and consisted of five episodes, which have now been adapted into a documentary series. Nancy Moscatiello, an investigative journalist, pieced together the clues about Riley’s fake cancer illness and the series investigates Riley in the true-crime series, but also gives her victims the opportunity to share their unique experiences.
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Scamanda Is The True Story Of Amanda Riley Who Faked Cancer For Over Eight Years In Order To Obtain Donations
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Scamanda |
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Starring |
Charlie Webster, Rachel Leighson, Mia Orellano, Chris Savery, Ruby Singleton and Trisha Sullivan |
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Episode Titles |
Episode 1: Stage 1: Who’s Afraid of Amanda Riley Episode 2: tbc Episode 3: tbc Episode 4: tbc |
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Created by |
Kianna Jackson and Charlie Webster |
Amanda Riley was a devout Christian and mother who was viewed as a pillar in her community. The true story began i n 2012 when Riley revealed that she was diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkins Lymphoma in a blog titled “Lymphoma Can Suck It.” The blog became a huge success, and it caught the attention of her community and celebrities all around the world. What followed was a lot of complimentary trips, gifts and money to cover her treatment. A while later, she announced that she was cancer-free, and the 'miracle' was celebrated in her community. She began speaking at her church, and the congregation viewed her as a symbol of God’s power. Unfortunately, Amanda's remission didn’t last long, and she announced on her blog that her cancer had returned, and she was also pregnant.
Her community united together to support her, and they hosted fundraisers, which provided her with more money for her 'treatments.' However, everything came crashing down when an investigative producer called Nancy Mosciatello received an anonymous tip about Riley’s 'cancer'. Turns out, Amanda was never sick, and conned everyone into thinking she was for monetary reasons. Scamanda is a true-crime masterpiece that tells Amanda's story through interviews with church members, ex-friends, community members, and Mosciatello herself. Amanda’s friends reveal the excuses she used to cover up her story, and it features clips of Amanda’s sermons, interviews, and social media videos.
Moscatiello's sister had died of cancer, so this case was very personal to her. In order to prove Riley was lying, she called around all the hospitals and clinics Riley claimed to have been treated at, and also examined the photos she'd posted on her blog documenting her treatment. She took all her findings to Jose Martinez, a retired financial crimes detective, who passed the case to the IRS, who pursued the case. Riley was charged in July 2020.
Amanda C. Riley's Charges, Explained
- Financial crimes associated with "a scheme to solicit donations from individuals to help her pay for cancer treatments she never needed nor received," according to the DOJ.
- Riley violated Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, preventing anyone from "obtaining money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, transmits or causes to be transmitted by means of wire, radio, or television communication in interstate or foreign commerce, any writings, signs, signals, pictures, or sounds for the purpose of executing such scheme or artifice."
Where Is Amanda Riley Now?
During the trial, the extent of Riley's attempts to 'fake cancer' were revealed. She shaved her head to make it look like she was receiving chemotherapy, and she also forged documents and medical records as well as taking loads of photos documenting her fake cancer journey.
Amanda Riley Trial At A Glance
- In May 2022, Riley pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
- She was ordered to pay back a total of $105,513.
- She was sentenced to five years in prison.
- The case made IRS history for being the first financial conviction of someone who faked cancer for fundraising purposes.
- Riley conned a total of 349 people into donating money to her over the course of eight long years.
The prosecutors in the case said the following after the verdict was reached:
Riley made the conscious decision to lie to people who trusted her, and to exploit that lie for financial gain over a period of several years. This conduct was a cynical betrayal of the victims' generosity, and it has fundamentally altered the victims' world-view.
Amanda Riley is currently imprisoned at FMC Carswell, (a federal prison in Ft. Worth, Texas). The prison specializes in housing prisoners with mental and physical health needs. It has been suggested that Riley suffers from a condition known as Munchausen's syndrome, and according to prosecutors, she's been fabricating illnesses while behind bars, including chest pains and head trauma. Apparently, Riley has been faking tests and symptoms to make it look like she has serious health problems. By the sounds of it, she does have an illness, but its mental health related.