Trial set for woman who cops say faked cancer

WEST CHESTER >> The Chester Springs woman who allegedly concocted a cancer scare to defraud online donors has been formally arraigned in Chester County Common Pleas Court.

The case of Jessica Ann Cornell Smith has been listed for trial before Judge Jeffery Sommer on charges of theft by deception and receiving stolen property.

The first trial date has been set for March 2, although it is unlikely that the case will be resolved at that point. Her arraignment, at which time she was formally notified of the charges against her and entered a plea of not guilty, was held Thursday.

Smith, 32, of Uwchlan, waived her preliminary arraignment before Magisterial District Judge Lori Donatelli on Jan. 7.

Uwchlan police filed charges against Smith after receiving information from a family friend and from her husband, Robert Smith, that she pretended to have cancer, impersonating a doctor and nurse, in a scheme to steal thousands of dollars from donors on GoFundMe and Facebook. Through her pages, Smith claimed she was facing her medical bills, travel costs and other payments related to child care and missed work during cancer treatment.

Smith created a GoFundMe and Facebook page stating she was diagnosed with Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC) and was receiving treatment from oncology specialists at the “Abraham Cancer Center” at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, which is actually the Abramson Cancer Center.

Smith managed to raise more than $10,000 through her fundraisers which she deposited to her TD Bank accounts, investigators said.

That was until her acquaintance and her husband had reported her false claims to the Uwchlan police in June and July. Robert Smith filed for divorce from Smith in August.

Robert Smith allegedly provided documents that she was covered under his insurance and he did not have any insurance records, statements or docu

ments that indicated his wife was being treated for any form of cancer.

Police said they reviewed other documents and determined that Smith never received chemotherapy treatment.

GoFundMe has reportedly promised to refund the money donated online. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ryan Borchik. Smith is represented by defense attorney Michael DiCindio of West Chester.