SICK BREACH OF TRUST
WOMAN ACCUSED OF FAKING ILLNESS
A TOWNSVILLE woman who detailed her battle with terminal ovarian cancer online has been accused of faking the illness to raise $ 55,000.
Lucy Wieland yesterday faced court accused of fraud.
A WOMAN who allegedly lied about having cancer and conned the Townsville community into donating more than $ 50,000 to her fundraising scam has been granted bail.
Lucy Victoria Wieland, 27, was charged with one count of fraud for dishonestly obtaining property from another and faced Townsville Magistrates Court yesterday.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Rachel Todd alleged in court that Wieland lied about having stage five ovarian cancer and created a GoFundMe page which raised nearly $ 55,000.
Wieland gave an interview to the Townsville Bulletin in August claiming she had just 12 months to live.
The court heard police were tipped off from several Crime Stoppers reports in the same month.
“The defendant stated in the article the situation had put a huge strain on her finances, she was struggling to afford medication and was having to take out personal loans,” Sgt Todd said.
Sgt Todd said a search warrant was conducted by police at the wellness clinic Wieland had been visiting for her “treatment”.
Police claim they found documentation in the clinic which stated the woman claimed she had been receiving treatment at the Townsville Hospital from a doctor for cancer.
Sgt Todd said the GoFundMe page had since been removed and the blog she was writing had also been taken down.
One of the pages contained information about Wieland wanting to travel to Germany to receive alternative treatment.
The court heard Wieland’s partner, Bradley Congerton, who is in the Australian Defence Force, had become her full- time carer as a result of her alleged illness.
Sgt Todd said the woman’s partner was not aware of her alleged lies.
Wieland sat stony- faced in the dock with her shaved head bowed, showing little emotion as the matter was heard.
Defence solicitor Jeff Dillon applied for bail, saying the defendant had no prior criminal history.
“She did run a business up until recently. It’s my instructions she fell ill and had to close her business,” he said.
“At this stage I can’t see any risk to the community.”
Magistrate Steven Mosch said he would grant bail on the condition Wieland reported to police once a week every Monday and surrendered her passport to the officer- in- charge of police in Townsville.
Townsville Crime Services Group detective Inspector Chris Lawson said it was “disheartening” when people allegedly used the emotions of others to try to obtain money from people.
“I mean the real victims here are the ones out in the community that have heard the stories, tried to assist as best as they can, and in some cases with what little they have, and they’ve given the money across in the honest belief they are trying to help people,” he said.
Insp Lawson said these types of crime did not happen often but police had the ability to investigate and act on infor- mation. Paul Davis, who runs the gym Paul Davis Headquarters in Townsville, was in the army with Mr Congerton.
He ran an event to help raise money this year for Wieland.
“It was pretty close to home for me,” Mr Davis said.
“I was in the army with him … from what I’ve been told the wool was pulled over his eyes.”
Mr Davis said this was something you never expected to happen. “I’m just pretty shocked,” he said.
“Her and her partner were both in my office in tears.
“I’ve been trying to get hold of him.”
The money raised from Mr Davis’ event will now go to the Cancer Council.
Police are continuing to investigate where the money from the GoFundMe page was donated.
Wieland will next appear
before the court on December 13.
Anyone who may have been a victim of the alleged scam is being urged to phone Crime Stoppers.
Townsville Hospital and Health Service chief executive Kieran Keyes said the Queensland Police Service had not contacted the service in relation to this matter.
Wieland was contacted but did not respond.