BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — A federal grand jury has indicted an Alabama woman on multiple charges that she falsely claimed she had terminal cancer to get thousands of dollars from family, friends and strangers.
Acting U.S. Attorney Robert Posey says in a news release that the Friday indictment charges 37-year-old Jennifer Cataldo, of Sterrett, with eight counts of wire fraud and seven counts of bank fraud.
The indictment says Cataldo misrepresented her health from 2014 to about May of this year. In person, online and via text messages, she solicited contributions and received more than $100,000 for living and medical expenses. She also solicited donations through two GoFundMe accounts that raised more than $35,000 combined.
If convicted, she faces multiple years in prison and more than $1 million in fines.
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