Miss Pennsylvania U.S. International winner Brandi Lee Weaver-Gates accused of lying about battling cancer

Mike Gallagher

Aug 12, 2015 - 06:39

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Miss Pennsylvania U.S. International winner Brandi Lee Weaver-Gates accused of lying about battling cancer

Beauty queen Brandi Lee Weaver-Gates (pictured left in her crown and sash), 23, of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, led her local community to believe that she had been diagnosed with a form of leukemia in March 2013. Since then, she has been the benefactor for

This year’s Miss Pennsylvania U.S. Inteational pageant winner is accused of lying about battling cancer and now faces felony charges, WJAC reported.

Police arrested Brandi Lee Weaver-Gates, 23, of Bellefonte, Centre County, Tuesday and charged her with theft by deception and receiving stolen property.

Investigators told WJAC that Weaver-Gates took money from events that raised funds on her behalf to help her pay for medical bills associated with her cancer battle.

Weaver-Gates would tell people she was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, investigators and court documents said.

Liar: Brandi Lee Weaver-Gates, 23, told her family and friends that she had been diagnosed with cancer and allegedly pocketed money raised to help her pay for her treatment

In custody: The image on the left shows Weaver-Gates in her newly released booking photo. The image on the right shows her in her pageant crown and sash visiting relatives' grave site in June

State Police Trooper Thomas Stock told WJAC that she didn't have the disease, calling her efforts to make people believe she had cancer "an elaborate scheme." He said Weaver-Gates would have relatives drive her to John Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, tell them to wait in the lobby and then go into another part of the hospital to retu hours later as to appear as though she got treatment.

Stock told WJAC she would tell people she was also a patient at Geisinger Medical Center and UPMC Medical Centers. He said none of the facilities listed her as a patient.

Additionally, Stock said Weaver-Gates would shave her head.

Several fundraisers were held to help her with medical bills. Police told WJAC that the most recent event was held in April raised $14,000.

Stock told WJAC that Weaver-Gates’ scheme came to their attention via an anonymous letter that claimed she couldn’t name any of her doctors.

Weaver-Gates was booked into the Centre County prison Tuesday afteoon.