A woman has been found guilty of fraud. After faking ovarian cancer and starting up a GoFundMe page which accumulated over £45,000.
GoFundMe Fraud: Woman who faked cancer found guilty: She had previously denied any wrongdoing and her defence team said that she honestly thought that she had cancer. Nicole Elkabbas, 42, and from Edge End Road in Broadstairs, Kent had scammed many people out of their money. And a trial heard that she went on shopping sprees, even paying for a box at a football ground.
Earlier, Prosecutors at the trial said that she used “detailed lies” to con people and even posted a picture of herself lying in a hospital bed. Along with the picture she wrote all about her diagnosis, surgery and after surgery chemotherapy. Ben Irwin, prosecuting, said her actions were. “totally dishonest”. He went on to say “It was a scheme designed to trick and to con and she knew it.
Also she lied about the major surgery, lied about six cycles of chemotherapy. And lied about this wonder-drug – the breakthrough drug.
She tricked people who gave her money and then she frittered it away.” Her defence team, lead by Oliver Kirk, told the jury that she is a vulnerable woman. With a genetic predisposition to ovarian cancer which members of her family have suffered from.
It was his belief that Elkabbas had been told and genuinely thought she had the disease. A spokeman for GoFundMe said after the guilty verdict that all monies donated had been returned last year. When the allegations first came to light. He went on to say “Misuse counts for less than one tenth of one per cent of all activity on GoFundMe. And in the very rare case there is misuse – we refund donations.
This means there is no risk whatsoever to donors. We’re proud to have the world’s only crowdfunding guarantee. Where your money gets where it is supposed to go – or we will reimburse you.” Elkabbas was found guilty by majority verdict of false representation and possession of criminal property at Canterbury Crown Court yesterday (Friday) following the trial.
Share on your Social Networks