N.Y. Woman Accused of Cancer Charity Scam to Feed Drug Habit

A 21-year-old Long Island woman is facing grand-larceny and forgery charges for allegedly faking cancer to raise money to buy heroin, the Associated Press reports.

The arrest of Brittany Ozarowski caused shockwaves in Miller’s Place, N.Y., where she had collected thousands of dollars through fundraising events, donation jars on store and restaurant counters, and online appeals in which she appeared gaunt and wheelchair-bound. She has pleaded not guilty and is being held on $75,000 bail.

Donors grew suspicious and contacted authorities late last year because Ms. Ozarowski, who claimed to have undergone extensive chemotherapy, had a full head of hair and had refused a cancer charity’s offer to pay $10,000 for treatment directly to a hospital.

“There was no cancer, no chemotherapy or radiation,” said Thomas Spota, Suffolk County, N.Y.’s district attorney. “All there was was heroin and more heroin.”