Introducing Spare Change Ep|1 Cancer Con Culture

    Spare change is the new addition to uncharitable.
A spin-off, Reflecting on previous episodes focusing on the spare details, similar cases and what to look out for with charity scams. 

A Cancer con pulls on the heartstrings of many who fail to spot the discrepancies when they choose to ignore the reg flags. 
So it's time to take a look at several cases from the last 12 years. 

Cases include: Madison Russo, Belle Gibson, Brittany Ozarowski, MiaBaoBao and Megan Bahri.

 Sources: 

1.     wikipedia: Belle Gibson

2.     The Guardian: Belle Gibson facing legal action over deceptive claims

3.     Daily mail: Belle Gibson The Whole Pantry

4.     The guardian: Australia news video 

5.     Youtube: Madison Russo trial

6.     NYPost: Taiwanese influencer admits to faking cancer battle

7.     www.scmp.com: Fake Taiwan fitness influencer outed

8.     Tbrnewsmedia: Brittany Ozarowski

9.     Yahoo: Cancer scam shocks community

10.  BBC Sounds: Believe In Magic  

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Transcript

Odeya: [00:00:00] When looking into the subjects of my podcast, there are some, if not a lot, questions I have not answered in my episodes. The reason for this is my delivery. It is storytelling. An experience for you, the listener, to feel like you are witnessing the event unfold right in front of you. So breaking that fourth wall won't be found within my main episode content, probably. I don't know, I'm still working this out. 

That being said, these stories prove to us how cautious we should be when choosing to support an individual or cause with our money and ethics. 

Plus, we all have a sweet old Aunt Doris who is just going to fund their whole operation single handedly if we don't stop her, so.

I'm introducing these spare change episodes, focusing on the spare details, similar cases and what to look out for with these kinds of scams. 

This week we will start off with a Maddie Russo case and the Cancer Con culture she was a part of. 

So CancerCon artists, or anyone who fakes an illness, are unfortunately nothing new.

They will for sure provide me with content opportunity for years to come. 

If you haven't listened to Maddie Russo's episode, it is episode [00:01:00] 6 titled What Fake Cancer Looks Like. 

The details shared in this episode are quite limited, only because it was rather difficult to confirm what was true and what wasn't.

When her case broke and Madison attempted to vacate social media, Internet Sleuths managed to download, screenshot and copy a lot of her content and reposted it in wake of the scandal. 

Other podcasters were quick to pluck the sources and use it in their stories, however, when looking through this, it was difficult to prove if it was actually hers.

Examples of this included rumours about the relationship between Madison and her Get Out of Jail Free card Tom Boland, her mother Peggy's knowledge of the scam, and other platforms used to raise more donations. 

Sleuths are notorious for getting hold of information, but when that information is exchanged it becomes like Chinese whispers and gets harder to find the original source.

Also, those close to her began contacting content creators with what they knew and shared insights about Madison off screen. 

Personally, I refuse to acknowledge the legitimacy of these claims, any stories like this can attract people who don't even know the person in question, [00:02:00] which is concerning, plus from what I saw in the trial, which by the way was broadcasted on WQAD and is available on YouTube, none of these details were ever mentioned.

If you do watch the trial, I will sidetrack for a moment as I do advise you stick around for the victim's statements. I quoted part of their statements in my episode, and it's important to mention the impact Madison left on these small charities, as they don't bounce back as easily as the major ones.

Their resources are limited, so when someone like Madison comes along, it does have a real negative financial impact. So I'm glad the victims were at least made whole, because let's face it, that's not always the case. 

But this girl was a small fish compared to some of the Moby Dicks you read about out there.

Belle Gibson is a perfect example. I'm sure most of you will recognise her through the countless memes and TikToks her deceit left as a legacy, but for those who don't, Belle was a health influencer who roped in her audience by falsely claiming to have been diagnosed with multiple cancers including brain, blood, spleen and kidney.

She claimed a strict regime of healthy eating, natural and [00:03:00] alternative medicine therapies managed her condition. Whilst promoting the potentially dangerous practices such as Gerson therapy, anti vaccination and consumption of non pasteurized raw milk on social media.

What makes Bell's case so dumbfounding is not only does she deceive her audience into thinking she had the disease, but through her app The Whole Pantry, a recipe and lifestyle guide, she managed to strike up a relationship with global tech giant Apple, who partnered with her to pre install her app on the Apple Watch ready for its April 2015 launch.

It was only after Belle shared that her cancer had returned did her empire begin to crumble. Followers and friends began to question her healthy appearance before Fairfax Media began to snoop around Gibson's charitable claims. Where they found out of the 20 charities Gibson pledged to give approximately $300, 000 to, a total of only 3 received around $7, 000.

This was a catalyst to question her whole story in general, which in the end turned out to be fake. 

And just as Belle's destructive journey began, another's was decaying beneath [00:04:00] their feet back in 2013 when Brittany Ozarowski was found to be siphoning donations intended for a false cancer treatment towards a heroin habit.

Brittany was supposedly diagnosed in 2011 with stage 2 ovarian cancer as well as stomach cancer. Three months later, she claimed to be rid of both diseases, only to announce two further diagnoses of brain and bone cancer shortly after. Victims to the scheme allowed her to place donation pots across 20 local businesses and even hosted a dinner dance to raise further donations.

Her own grandmother gave Brittany approximately $100, 000 after selling her home.

I could spend the entire episode sharing these stories who, as you will find out, share strikingly similar details with one another. 

But instead, I will use their downfall as a reference on what to look out for if you cross paths with someone like this.

The reality of these very sensitive types of scams are very difficult to prove. That being said, people slip up. It's human nature. I certainly wouldn't have the content to pump out if they didn't, I'm [00:05:00] waiting to hear the outcome of yet another one this year, so there are signs to look out for. But, this is not an invitation to call out what you think is fake online or in person.

There are other ways to approach your suspicions that protect yourself in the process. I don't want to be reading online how a listener called out a legitimate cancer patient after they thought their story was a bit flimsy. That's not how we do things, alright? 

Also, if you didn't know already, you can't just go around demanding proof either.

Like you, people are entitled to keep their medical records private and the medical facilities that keep them are required by law to protect them. It's only under certain circumstances they are released, so for example in Maddie Russo's case, when police were given evidence to suggest she was financially profiting from a false diagnosis, they obtained them under court order 

What I suggest to begin with, if you even have the slightest itch that not all is what it seems, is just to observe.

Fraudsters who do this in the beginning often vaguely describe their diagnosis. They won't share many details. [00:06:00] They may even trip over themselves continuously in an attempt to make sense of what they're trying to explain. But this can swing both ways too. Some may overshare but also describe their condition in a strange language.

For example, with Belle Gibson, the further she went with her lies, the harder it was to keep aligned. To give you an idea, 

when launching a wellness book, her publisher questioned a new round of treatment Belle claimed to be starting. When trying to explain the process, Bell said, quote, Following a German medicine protocol, it is a medicine which is respected throughout Europe.

A machine which is like an electronic pulse that pushes into the cells and I take medicine when that machine is operating on a program. The program runs based on my biology and the way that my body operates through my sleep. Yep, sleep. And I take medicine. This program is opening up my cells so the medicine can get into them.

I think we can all imagine the faces being pulled in that room upon hearing whatever the fuck she was trying to cook up there.

I suggest you watch the video. In fact, I'll stick it in the show notes, I think. 

Point being [00:07:00] is, keep an eye on the smaller details. 

Another would be appearance and activity.

People do handle cancer differently, but treatment for the disease can take a huge toll on your body. Swinging your driver on golf rounds in between chemo rounds like Maddie Russo did can raise eyebrows even if you claim to be in stage 2 receiving intense rounds of both chemo and radiation therapy.

Treatment can also drastically change your physical appearance also. One of the most common side effects for cancer is hair loss. But I will mention that not all chemotherapy causes hair loss, so take caution, but I think Maddy Russo can help me out with something here. 

Yes, biotin. That sodding supplement will haunt me, I'm sure, but as you just heard, apparently these magical vitamins can help stop your hair from falling out.

No, that's not how it works. 

Again, a mention from the previous episode is that biotin is a naturally occurring B vitamin that helps keep your hair as well as skin, eyes, and nervous system healthy. 

It doesn't block your hair from falling out. 

Brittany Ozowowski also told donors that vitamins prevented her hair from [00:08:00] falling out too.

Whilst you may also be sold on the idea that cold caps are a preventative measure as well, I'm afraid not.

Cancer Research UK will tell you that cold caps can reduce the temperature of your scalp, which reduces the blood flow, which reduces the number of drugs reaching the hair follicles. But, again, this is limited to the type of chemotherapy a patient is on.

Plus, if there is a high risk of high level circulating cancer cells in your scalp's blood vessels, it can risk the cancer cells surviving the treatment. I think we get the idea. Cancer is a very complicated shitshow and the treatment is no different. 

So vague details and appearance can raise a few eyebrows, but the true Achilles heel with any scam like this will be your loved ones.

It's all well and good telling a stranger your health condition if you seek sympathy or attention, but for validation your inner circle must be roped into believing it also. And the deeper it gets, the more complicated the lie becomes. 

Even friends will demand to help, whether it's a ride to the doctor's, a shoulder to cry on, a shopping run, or a hand to hold.

The decline for help will not sit well [00:09:00] with those who love you, and some may even mention this publicly. Peggy Russo, Madison's mother, certainly did. Here's a post from her socials, quote. Unfortunately, I have never been allowed to go along to any appointments. I've never met her doctors. I've asked 74336788 times to please let me learn about this and help you.

I told her she doesn't have to go through this alone, but she insisted. I never understood why she thought she wanted to go by herself. She always told me she could handle it and to stay and work. Maybe it's because I'm a single parent and help her financially, I don't know, but it's broken my heart for over a year.

Yes, some people are very private about themselves, some prefer not to be fussed, but if that is the case, you certainly won't be seeing them share this very personal information with an online audience. 

I'll just throw another, yes another scammer into the ring here because her downfall was because of this very reason.

Taiwanese fitness influencer, Miabaobao apologies if I butchered that name by the way, claimed for three whole years that she had late stage pancreatic cancer. [00:10:00]

Where have we had that before? 

She would post videos of herself working out in between her cancer treatment sessions, which included weightlifting, yes weightlifting, post images of IVs, hospital scenes, and hair loss, which were later claimed to be taken directly from other sources on the internet.

Her now ex husband began to notice things were not as what they seemed when his then wife insisted she was dropped only at the hospital entrance for appointments before attending them alone. 

He also noticed the family's medical bills only amounted to the equivalent of $275 for the entire year. He never knew the name of her doctor, saw any diagnostic proof or hospital receipts from the previous two years.

That was enough for him to begin posting the details on social media, where the influencer was then pressured to come clean. 

From what I've read, the influencer never received any charitable donations from her followers. 

She did, however, accept sponsorship funding, which she did state when she was exposed, quote, "If there's a company that requires me to fork out a sum for compensation, I will do so".[00:11:00]

These four all shared similar details from treatment tips like vitamins and fitness advice to Dr. Google word for word diagnosis. 

The fabrication with some even went as far as stealing other people's legitimate treatment photos to spin their stories further. If I remember correctly, the New York Post reported that Miabaobao posted images of X- rays that were traced to a different source.

Same case with Madison Russo , who stole photos from Jessica Sanders, a legitimate ovarian cancer patient. 

These photos were only uncovered when suspicious followers began to raise their eyebrows. 

They reversed image search pictures from social media, which, if you didn't know, is a feature you can use on search engines such as Google, TinEye and Yandex.

The majority of users will use this to find a specific item or to price compare something, but you can find original sources of an image just by uploading or using a drag and drop feature. 

I'll be honest, these features are never as easy as I have just described it, and to trace things such as x rays would take a lot of digging.[00:12:00]

So what if you find all this proof, what next? It's difficult, you can go to the police of course, but it depends on the location and laws surrounding this type of crime if there even is any. 

Ask yourself, are they receiving donations, sponsorships, book deals, corporate or charitable handouts, vacations etc?

If they haven't, then they most likely haven't committed any crimes. 

Some may do this to gain access to medication or paid sickness leave so they forge doctor's notes, which is a crime

So if you can prove they are benefiting through illegal channels Then the right thing to do is to go to the police and let them handle it 

I think I'll mention one last case here Which was picked up by BBC sounds because this can explain the complications involved when trying to expose these types of cons.

Believe in magic is a BBC podcast that breaks down the story of Megan Bahri a girl claiming to be seriously ill whilst running a charity that grants wishes to other sick children When her mother begins to raise money for emergency treatment overseas, internet sleuths became suspicious and faced the [00:13:00] challenge of proving Megan's health condition was false whilst trying to convince the charity supporters of the same thing.

They did go as far as hiring a PI to gather certain elements of proof and use social engineering techniques to obtain others. It's impeccably researched and does shine a light on the blowback the sleuths themselves received when trying to do the right thing. It does, however, take an unfortunate turn. I won't mention why, but listener discretion is advised.

So what do you think? Did I miss out anything? Does this remind you of anyone, or has Old Aunt Doris already fallen victim to this? 

Let me know. By contributing to the community. You can send us a message, link is in the show notes, or you can find me on Instagram at Uncharitable Podcast. 

I'll be backtracking over the next coming weeks, so look out for spare change reflecting on existing episodes like the Tiger Temple's The 40 Cubs and the Kennel Inferno.

Okay, that's it.