As Amanda Riley documented her battle with stage 3 cancer, hundreds of people online and in the community stepped forward to offer encouragement and financial help to the courageous mother of two. Eventually, they would learn the shocking truth that Riley’s illness was completely made-up.
Her scheme to fake a dire diagnosis for attention and financial gain became the subject of the popular 2023 investigative podcast Scamanda and now a four-part ABC docuseries of the same name, now streaming on Hulu. Featuring exclusive interviews with people connected to the case, the TV project examines how Riley altered medical records and her own physical appearance to illegally raise more than $100,000 from unsuspecting supporters.
While Riley eventually admitted her guilt and went to prison for her crime, new reports have offered a possible explanation for the notorious scammer’s fraudulent behavior. Here’s what to know about Amanda Riley, her case, and where she is today.
Amanda Riley faked a cancer diagnosis for financial gain
Starting in 2012, Riley used the internet and social media to solicit donations for her fake diagnosis for the blood cancer Hodgkin’s lymphoma and, later, a form of lung cancer. She started a blog called Lymphoma Can Suck It on which she shared photos and updates. For some pictures, she even shaved her head to simulate losing her hair from treatment. According to People, she invited supporters and local community members to donate money to help fund her medical care and received a signed guitar from a meet-and-greet with country singer LeAnn Rimes.
There was only one problem: The San Jose, California, resident was never diagnosed with cancer or any other terminal illness. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, she falsified medical bills and records and forged letters from doctors. Any donations she received were deposited into her personal bank accounts and used to pay living expenses.
As she continued to solicit money through 2019, Amanda and her husband, Cory Riley, raised their two sons together, Carter and Connor. Amid the scheme, Cory and Amanda also argued her feigned illness was a medical hardship in an attempt to lower Cory’s child support payments to his ex-wife for their daughter, Jessa Gonzalez.
She pleaded guilty to fraud in court
In June 2015, investigative journalist Nancy Moscatiello received an anonymous tip that Riley was faking her illness. Moscatiello contacted several hospitals, who pointed to inconsistencies between Riley’s blog accounts and typical cancer treatment regimens. People reported that Moscatiello, who is a producer for the new TV docuseries, forwarded her findings to a financial crimes detective that September, and the case was referred to the Internal Revenue Service. Finally in July 2020, an IRS special investigator charged Riley with wire fraud resulting from digital donations.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the government identified a total of 349 individuals and entities who made contributions totaling $105,513 toward Riley’s fabricated medical expenses. However, cash payments she received and other in-kind offerings such as gift cards weren’t included in this amount.
On October 12, 2021, Riley pleaded guilty to wire fraud in federal court as part of an agreement with prosecutors. She admitted “her intent was to deceive people into believing she had cancer and, in doing so, to convince them to donate money to her.” Although she faced up to 20 years in prison, she was sentenced to five years and ordered to pay restitution equaling the amount of the donations.
At her sentencing hearing, Riley apologized to the judge and victims. “This is the worst thing I have ever done and the worst mistake I could have made,” she said. “I don’t sleep well at night because this haunts me daily. I can’t even look at myself in the mirror without feeling ashamed, and I am so sorry.”
Corey, her husband, hasn’t faced any charges related to the fundraising scheme.
Still imprisoned, Amanda has repeatedly claimed illness
Now 39, Riley began serving her sentence at Federal Medical Center Carswell in Fort Worth, Texas, in September 2022. She has since been moved to RRM Long Beach, a residential reentry facility in San Pedro, California.
In August 2024, a San Francisco Chronicle report detailed how Riley’s deceit has allegedly continued in prison. According to prosecutors, Riley was transported to an emergency room 24 times during her first 18 months of incarceration. Her complaints ranged from a rapid heartbeat and chest pains to a cut on her head.
Riley’s attorneys have argued her most recent symptoms are legitimate and even petitioned for her early release, citing her inability to receive proper treatment for asthma, low blood pressure, and other ailments. However, a judge denied the request this past June after prosecutors argued that Riley was caught attempting to manipulate test results, such as by holding her breath during oxygen saturation readings. Her anticipated release date from prison is December 4, 2025.
In the meantime, medical experts have surmised Riley’s symptoms could be part of a larger pattern of mental illness. According to The Guardian, three doctors and a nurse who treated Riley during her incarceration have suggested she might suffer from factitious disorder, more commonly known as Münchausen syndrome. A fourth doctor even made an official diagnosis. Münchausen syndrome is a psychological disorder in which a person pretends to be sick or purposefully produces symptoms of illness, usually to gain sympathy or attention.
A similar and even more infamous case involves Dee Dee and Gypsy-Rose Blanchard. Dee Dee, now believed to have Münchausen by proxy, subjected her daughter to years of unnecessary medical procedures for fabricated illnesses before Gypsy-Rose orchestrated her mother’s death in 2015.
As Amanda remains incarcerated, her husband and sons are living in Austin, Texas, per People. In an episode of the Scamanda TV docuseries, Corey’s daughter Jessa reveals she hasn’t seen her father or Amanda for a long time and was “really hurt” but also “kind of relieved” when the case ended. She says that neither has offered a personal apology, nor even admitted to the falsity of Amanda’s illness.
Although Riley hasn’t participated in any official interviews while in prison, Scamanda podcast host Charlie Webster has spoken to her multiple times and offered her the chance to further apologize and tell her side of the story.
“She did tell me that she can’t believe what she’s done, and she is sorry. It’s up to people whether they want to believe that,” Webster told KATU. “It just became a spiraled lie that became very addictive, and I can kind of see that because of how we perceive social media... I feel like this was very much about validation, attention, and it became very addictive rather than about the finances.”
Watch Scamanda on Hulu
The first installment of the docuseries Scamanda premiered January 30 on ABC, and subsequent episodes aired Thursdays through February 20. All episodes are now streaming on Hulu.
Here’s the complete release schedule for Scamanda:
- Episode 1: “Stage 1: Perfect Wife, Perfect Life,” Now streaming as of January 31
- Episode 2: “Stage 2: All About Amanda,” Now streaming as of February 7
- Episode 3: “Stage 3: The Wheels of Justice,” Now streaming as of February 14
- Episode 4: “Stage 4: Catch Me if You Cancer,” Now streaming as of February 21
Tyler Piccotti joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor and is now the News and Culture Editor. He previously worked as a reporter and copy editor for a daily newspaper recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors. In his current role, he shares the true stories behind your favorite movies and TV shows and profiles rising musicians, actors, and athletes. When he's not working, you can find him at the nearest amusement park or movie theater and cheering on his favorite teams.
