Iowa woman who faked cancer and received donations avoids jail, must pay restitution

She told the world she had pancreatic cancer, leukemia and a tumor wrapped around her spine.

She created an online fundraiser for help pay medical expenses.

She raised nearly $40,000.

But it was all a lie, prosecutors said.

Despite admitting her guilt in a felony theft case before a judge in Iowa last week, 20-year-old Madison Russo − charged in connection to the nearly year-long nationwide scheme − will not serve prison time.

Russo, from Bettendorf, a city in east Iowa near the Illinois state line, pleaded guilty on Friday to one count of first-degree theft, Scott County, court records show.

She received a 10-year suspended prison sentence from District Court Judge John Telleen, a Scott County clerk confirmed to USA TODAY Monday,and was placed on three years of probation instead.

Fake cancer scam uncovered

According to a criminal complaint obtained by USA TODAY, on Jan. 11 the Eldridge Police Department learned Russo had− at that time − taken more than $37,000 donations from more than 439 donors at businesses, school districts, colleges, and local and national cancer foundations.

In the complaint, an officer wrote Russo created and authored" numerous social media posts" talking about her cancer and said she had been a guest speaker for the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation, Project Purple, The Ohl Foundation and St. Ambrose University "under the false pretenses" she has been diagnosed with Stage 2 Pancreatic Cancer, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and had a "football sized" tumor on her lower back that "wraps around her spine."

Yet, police wrote, Russo was "able to prevail with a 4.0 GPA, be out in the sun, maintain a part time job at John Deere and continue to go golfing, and according to her mother's social media page, is getting a full ride scholarship to St. Ambrose University."

Additionally, police wrote, some of the pictures she shares as her, were taken from actual cancer patient's social media pages and, medical records taken from showed Russo Madison has never been treated for cancer.

Court records show a warrant was issued for her arrest on Jan. 20 and she was arrested and booked into jail on Jan. 23.

Victim: 'I never imagined'

Video shot by local tv station WOI-DT of the plea hearing shows at least one of the victims testify during Friday's plea hearing.

"I never imagined somebody someone so callously would fake they had such a devastating cancer as pancreatic cancer, and willingly accept our gift of love and kindness, and lie directly to my face," Peggy Ohl, with OHL Strong Pancreatic Cancer Foundation located in Eldridge, Iowa, testified. "My heart was broken and disbelief."

During the plea hearing, Russo testified she was untruthful about her fake cancer battle.

“A lot of people have made speculation as to why I did this and how somebody who looked like they had everything together could have such a mess,” the Associated Press reported she said.

“I didn't do this for money or greed. I didn't do this for attention. I did this as an attempt to get my family back together.”

GoFundMe sent refunds to people who donated to the fake fundraiser, according to the AP.

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Prosecution: 'Unlikely to reoffend'

Prosecutor Kelly Cunningham, the AP also reported, said Russo was not a good candidate for prison because of her lack of criminal history, because she was employed and was "unlikely to reoffend."

In video footage from by WHBF-TV, Russo apologized for her actions.

"This experience has been by far one of the most diff things to navigate in my life," Russo said fighting back tears." I fully acknowledge what I did was wrong. And I'm incredibly sorry. If there was anything I could do to take it back I would. The reality is I can't.”

Judge: 'Serious consequences'

During the hearing, the AP reported, the judge addressed Russo when he sentenced her and said, “(Through this) scheme, you deceived your friends, your family, your community, other cancer victims, charities and strangers who were motivated by your supposedly tragic story to donate to help support you."

Telleen, who sentenced Russo, also ordered her to pay more than $39,385 in restitution, a $1,375 fine and court cost, a court clerk confirmed to USA TODAY Monday. She also must perform 100 hours of community service.

Tellen also told the AP "Serious crimes must have serious consequences to deter both you and others from such crimes in the future."

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Iowa woman accused in fake cancer scam ordered to pay restitution