A Liverpool woman who claimed she was dying of cancer so her friends would contribute thousands of pounds to the cost of her dream wedding has been jailed.
Toni Standen (29) originally from West Derby, invented a story that ovarian cancer had spread to other parts of her body and that she had received a terminal diagnosis.
Friends even launched a GoFundMe page so she could have the wedding she deserved following the terminal diagnosis.
Standen, now of Widnes, later pleaded guilty to fraud, and has been jailed for five months at Chester Magistrates Court.
She has also been ordered to repay a donation of £2,000 (€2,201) made by a local businessman.
Woman who faked terminal cancer diagnosis to pay for dream wedding is jailed
Toni Standen has been jailed for five months
Toni Standen, 29, from West Derby, claimed that her ovarian cancer later spread to other parts of her body and that she had received a terminal diagnosis. (Image: CPS)
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Lying doesn’t pay.
A woman who was caught lying about having cancer to raise money for her wedding has been jailed in the United Kingdom. News of the sentencing broke after it was revealed that she had taken thousands of dollars from friends and family based on the apparent lie. Toni Standen has reportedly been jailed for five months by the Chester Magistrate’s Court. (iStock)
Toni Standen has been jailed for five months by the Chester Magistrate’s Court, The Sun reports. Victims of the scheme reportedly included friends, family and her now-husband.
According to The Sun, District Judge Nicholas Sanders said, Thankfully it’s not often this court has to sentence someone who has shown such a degree of shamelessness, such greed, or such a betrayal of friendship as you did to your friends and the wider community. You made up an illness to gain the sympathy of your friends and sat back and watched as they raised money to support you.
Real cancer victims rage at woman who invented terminal diagnosis for money
Toni Standen shaved her head to appear as though she was undergoing treatment
Updated
Toni Standen with her partner James
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