A Howard County woman has been charged with allegedly faking a cancer diagnosis and taking in $32,000 from community benefits.
Nancy Myers, 37, of Umpire, was charged April 19 in Howard County Circuit Court with theft of property.
According to case information, Myers had been telling people since around the end of 2021 and “continuing until present” that she has cancer. Numerous people in the community gave Myers money to help with medical expanses and a benefit held in June 2022 raised approximately $32,000.
In early 2023, numerous concerned citizens reported that they did not believe Myers actually had cancer. The Howard County Sheriff’s Department opened an investigation and Myers was interviewed.
“During the early stages of the interview Myers stated that she had been diagnosed with cancer and had received several cancer treatments,” according to case information. Myers eventually told investigators that she had not been diagnosed with cancer and had not received any chemotherapy treatments, a fact she said she knew before the benefit was held for her cause.
Myers also said she still had some of the money that was raised for her but that she had spent around $10,000 on things like car payments and other normal expenses.
A bench warrant for Myers was also issued on April 19.
