The woman who faked a brain tumor to avoid prison - UPDATE

An update on the bizarre and unbelievable saga of Robin Niceta - a social worker who was accused of a wide variety of sociopathic crimes, who attempted and failed to fake a brain tumor to escape accountability due to the persistence of a local city councilwoman and the assistance of some anonymous doctors on Reddit.

[StrongMed]

2/9 UPDATE: Welcome to the Ann Reardon fans! =)

11/7 UPDATE: On Nov 7, Niceta was found guilty of both original charges related to her initial false child sex abuse claim. Sentencing for them is scheduled for Jan 19. Meanwhile, she still has all of the pending charges related to the submission of the photoshoped MRI scan and fabricated medical records; the date of that trial is TBA. I still find her not guilty plea perplexing. The records she submitted as evidence are without any doubt whatsoever fabricated with the intent to deceive the court. Niceta's rumored defense that the evidence was fabricated by her mother and that Niceta had nothing to do with it is hard to swallow when Niceta literally pretended to be minimally responsive in court multiple times. The only open question on the case is whether her mother goes down with her...

[mrdaym]

"Do your research!"
"I did do some research."
"Oh fuck!"

[chattychemist]

As an oncologist in training - what a WILD case. Among everything else, even if this worked... GBMs are so extremely deadly, was she just committed to faking her death after a year and then trying to reinvent herself somewhere else? Pretending that she had a miraculous recovery with no brain surgery or radiation? How on earth did she think this would not get caught???

[ballookey]

I too came here from Ann Reardon's video and I'm just flabbergasted that neither CBS news or the court *independently* verified those medical claims. Also I'm no doctor but as a graphic designer those images looked sus as can be. My IMMEDIATE reaction was to doubt them for the obvious reasons: tumor isn't in the same relative location from scan to scan, two images show the exact same tumor even though...like, it should be viewing the other side? The back of a thing doesn't usually look exactly like the front of a thing? Just the complete lack of critical thinking from entities that should be superb at it!

[eldrichnemo]

Niceta harmed SO. MANY. PEOPLE. She wasted time with creating and living lies instead of doing her job to protect kids and families. She no doubt had her own extended family and friends worried sick for her! What a bleak place a person can go just for petty revenge!!!

Can't wait to see Brian Maass vs the Brain Mass, here's hoping he does well in the rematch.

Obligatory shoutout to the H2CT crew!

[womble]

I know someone who passed away exactly one month from being diagnosed with a real glioblastoma. This just makes me sick.

[deeleighb]

Ann Reardon's video sent me here, and oh goodness it is a juicy story! Thank you for the great explanations and educating people on this insane story

[L_Train]

The graphic on the right is a great addition and necessary. I had to rewind the original video multiple times to get the names in this story straight.

[FerociousPancake]

I’m glad mom was charged too. What an unbelievable slap in the face to those actually dealing with glioblastoma.

[Paputsza]

i took a psychology class at some point, and even I'm like "what dat tumor doing?' as it floats from lobe to lobe depending on the angle.

[molnarcsani]

I so wish the Legal Eagle would take a look at this story from a lawyer's point of view🤔

[lindseydejesus]

iI shadowed a radiologist over spring break. I shared the original video with him and he was BAFFLED and entertained; we enjoyed talking about the scans together. i can't wait to send him this second part!

[oscardog]

My husband died of Glioblastoma 3 years ago. It made my blood boil to see someone pretending to have this horrible cancer. Her performance for the camera was abysmal. I don’t understand the court being taken in by the “evidence”😒

[emilyrasputin]

This case leaves me absolutely dumfounded and furious with all the people who let this go unchecked instead of doing their jobs. Also, based on the mom's seeming complicity in the scam and the way she acts on camera, I'm guessing a sociopath raised another sociopath. I hope all of the related social work cases are re-investigated with a new perspective.

(Ann Reardon sent me too)

[sanjeebbharadwaj]

Reality is always stranger than fiction, nobody could have made this story up😂

[chronicalyonline]

came here from Anne Reardon's video I was expecting some medical drama. But damn sexually harassing tens of women and taking their children away this is so evil

[skicreature]

Take this story and write it up for a medical journey and potentially to a legal journal.

It is critically important that other physicians understand the incompetence of the legal system with regards to medical diagnosis and the potential harms to real individuals if we do not work to ensure the validity and accuracy of medical-legal issues.

It boggles the mind to think how many potential lives are harmed because of a courts misinterpretation of medical evidence which could harm both defendants and plaintiffs. In this case only a chance external intervention corrected the error.

[dawnchesbro]

I was so curious after watching Ann Reardon's video. What a tale of misdirection and medical fraud you dissected. Maybe this could be a collab with Devin from Legal Eagle?

[lizardog]

Thank you for explaining this case so clearly. I've heard so much about it that is conflicting. Also, thank you for your work in exposing the fraud.

[Straycurrent]

And now I will go for a walk and try to regain a bit of faith in humanity…..