Florida Woman Arrested for Faking Cancer To Collect GoFundMe Donations
A Florida woman was arrested on Wednesday for lying about having cancer as part of a fraudulent scheme to collect GoFundMe donations.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by WFLA, 51-year-old Maribeth Jones stole more than $40K from 238 members of a Naples community.
The Collier County Sheriff’s said Jones worked as an activities director in the community and told residents from 2022 to 2024 that she had cancer and was undergoing treatment.
“This is an appalling case because it exploited the kindness and generosity of people who truly wanted to help someone they believed was fighting for her life,” Sheriff Kevin Rambosk said.
Jones Claimed Her Condition was Worsening, Had Her Hair Cut Under the Guise of Chemotherapy Preparations
Investigators said Jones went to great lengths to make her story believable. She pretended her condition was worsening and even had community members cut her hair under the guise of preparing for chemotherapy.
Based on what was assumed to be a real cancer diagnosis, on Feb. 21, 2024, members of the community set up a GoFundMe for Jones. Over 238 individuals donated to the GoFundMe, some contributing using cash and personal checks to Jones before she abruptly left her job around June 2024.
Jones Collected $30K via GoFundMe Donations in Addition to Other Donations via Cash and Check Payments
The arrest affidavit states that on Jan. 15, 2025, Jones was questioned by authorities and admitted that she did not have cancer. Additionally, Jones admitted to using the donated funds to pay for her outstanding personal bills.
The affidavit noted that Jones collected approximately $28,000 to $30,000 through the GoFundMe donations linked to her Regions Bank account and that she collected additional donations through direct cash and digital payments.
Through further investigation, detectives discovered two additional GoFundMe campaigns associated with Jones and her alleged cancer affliction that were launched in 2018. Detectives said that the total amount of funds listed as GoFundMe deposits to Jones’ bank account totaled $40,197.18.
Jones Said She Fabricated the Cancer Story Because She ‘Liked the Attention it Brought Her’
When asked why she chose to fabricate a cancer diagnosis, Jones explained that she “fabricated stories about getting cancer because she liked the attention it brought her, and she enjoyed the adulation she received from people who expressed concern about her circumstances,” the affidavit said.
On Aug 5, 2026, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office arrested Jones and charged her with grand theft of a person over 65 years of age, grand theft, and scheme to defraud.
