I-Team: Cancer Con Arrest

by Randy Travis
Aired Feb. 10, 2016

ATLANTA, Ga. -
A Forsyth County woman already accused of faking cancer to collect thousands of dollars in donations turned herself in to face new charges in Fulton County.

The FOX 5 I-Team first reported on hospice nurse Mary Bennett who for years insisted she had Stage IV ovarian cancer.

Forsyth County authorities said she collected at least $25,000 in free trips, concert tickets and cash by claiming she was fighting a courageous battle against a stubborn disease.
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Bennett once even walked in a 5K race as a cancer survivor, rode in a Lumpkin County sheriff's car wearing a special ballistic vest, and deputies put together a motorcycle ride to raise money to help with her supposed medical bills.

Instead, detectives told the FOX 5 I-Team they found no evidence the 29-year-old ever had cancer.

She already faced theft and forgery charges in Forsyth County. Roswell police filed their own charges, accusing Bennett of faking medical records and letters to give to her employer to show her cancer would not get in the way of doing her job. She is no longer employed there.

Bennett walked into the Fulton County jail with her parents who authorities said were also fooled by the cancer con. An ovarian cancer awareness magnet that was once on her father's pickup was conspiculously missing when he drove her to jail.

The FOX 5 I-Team tried to get an answer to everyone's question. Why?

"Did you really fake your cancer?"

"I have no comment," Bennett said as she tried to hide her face. "You can talk to my lawyer."

"But why don't you have a comment? Don't you want to say something to all the people who gave you money... and gave you their prayers and their love?"

She did not.

[reenym]

Years in stage 4 cancer? I've had 3 friends in stage 4 cancer and they only survived months. 1 of my friends just got diagnosed and we know it's not YEARS. Our hearts are truly broken.

[VikingLady]

My stepfather was having severe stomach pains on Easter Sunday and Mom took him to the hospital. Turns out he had Stage 4 cancer of the stomach, colon, liver, and it spread to his lungs. Then he was hospitalized with a stroke on April 17, had intestinal blockages. They started him on chemo, but he died a week later on May 4th. So hearing this story is pretty damn upsetting. He died less than 2 months after he was diagnosed.

[schlazer-merv]

She served 5 years in prison and was required to pay back 15k

[cancerhelpall]

i buried my mother last moth she had ovarian cancer, this woman should spend a lot of years behind bars. news laws need to be written about defrauding people faking cancer or other medical

[ryboever]

ain't no way in hell id ever skydive with that Big ole hefer

[unclefranklin]

Hard to belive she's in her late 20s here.

[nicholewhite]

Wow imagine really having cancer and seeing this 😳

[songbird]

Her weight would have tipped me off. I've never known a stg 4 cancer patient to be fat. Nor that energetic.

[kendylbigelow]

My mother died from Melanoma. She made it to 39 years old.

[DeedeeSch]

She better watch, because Karma can be a BITCH!

[c.chanelrienstraroman]

I applaud the person who put the pieces of this lie together, and then alerted the media and the police, well done. I hope it sends a message that you won't get away with this type of deception.

[nicholasthompson]

This is disgusting. I have zero sympathy for her.

[marlowepaalan]

Disgusting and to think she is a nurse.Hope she rots in jail.

[wisdomtime]

Give her 20 years, what she deserves.

[tomsawyertomsawyer]

This made me mad extremely, cause as a male Nurse I watch one of my best Patient die slowly before my eyes due to Ovarian Cancer and to this day I still miss that lady. She deserved to stay away from the public for good and into a mental facility..

[mysticaceballos]

my grandpa died from stomach IS A DISGUSTING PERSON

[TheDarkDresser]

Why does this keep happening?
If someone has cancer and is soliciting money, they should be required to waive their rights to privacy, which should not be a problem, since they've already gone public in the biggest way. They should also be required to give the name of the physician who is treating them.
I always find it hard to believe that either the husbands or the families of these con artist were unaware.
I suspect that there are many on Youtube doing the same thing.

[amandahugenkiss]

she was obviously eating well, so she did not have cancer.

[girlfromsouth]

High dose steroids prescribed for different types of cancers can cause extreme weight gain and swelling. Also, people diagnosed with ovarian cancer may experience severe weight gain because of medications, hormone fluctuations and ascites (cancer fluid) in their abdomen. Please consider that comments about how this woman is too "fat" for cancer could be extremely offensive to some who actually have it.

[russelljohnson]

Stage 4??? She's as big as a house!!