A woman in Nevada has admitted to faking a serious illness to gain sympathy and money, collecting more than $20,000 in donations from friends and strangers. According to the New York Post, Haleigh Knight pleaded guilty in a Las Vegas court to felony theft after confessing that she lied about having pancreatic cancer. Authorities said she created fake fundraising campaigns and misled people into believing she was battling a life-threatening disease between June 2023 and April 2024, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
As per prosecutors, Knight set up multiple online fundraisers and even pretended to be different people to keep the story believable. She used the money she received to pay bills and support her children. Court records revealed that her own text messages exposed the scam, showing she knowingly deceived donors to maintain the false narrative.
The case has shocked many, especially those who personally supported her during the supposed illness.
One of her victims, former classmate Cydney Fink, said Knight admitted to her actions and described feeling like :two different people," claiming she struggled to control her behavior.
"Haleigh states she faked having cancer so that Cydney and her family, along with Haleigh's family, would feel guilty and more inclined to love and be around her if she claimed she was sick," according to the documents.
Another victim, Suzanne Duroy, a breast cancer survivor, said she was devastated after learning the truth. Having believed Knight's story, Duroy had stepped in to help, sending nearly $1,000 in gift cards and presents while acting as a support figure during the fake treatment.
"It's really not the money for me. It's just the point, like I felt heartbroken for her," Duroy said.
For many victims, the emotional betrayal was just as painful as the financial loss. Rachel Riedel, another donor, described Knight as manipulative and warned others about her actions. She described the knight as a "sociopath" who "will scam you if she can touch you."
"It infuriates me that she would take advantage of her community, of her family," Riedel told KSNV.
The case also struck a nerve because pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of the disease, with a low survival rate, making the lie particularly disturbing.
As part of her plea deal, Knight has agreed to pay nearly $19,800 in restitution to victims. If she meets all legal conditions, including probation, she may be allowed to reduce her felony charge to a misdemeanor.
She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24.
