Page 12 - IAV Digital Magazine #460

iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine
Brighton Woman Who Faked Breast Cancer Gets Prison Time
BRIGHTON (WWJ) - A Livingston County nanny will serve time behind bars after faking breast cancer and bilking Good Samaritans out of more than $30,000.
Candace Streng of Brighton was sentenced to 28 1/2 months to 15 years Thursday after pleading guilty last month to larceny by false pretenses.
Livingston County prosecutors say Streng lied to friends, family and strangers about having cancer and
raised the money for years.
Among those to speak at Streng's sentencing
was Joan Walker, who set up a online GoFundMe
account for Streng. Nearly 400 people donated, thinking they were helping to pay Streng's medical expens- es.
"She tricked me, she tricked all of us," Walker told the court. "She came into our lives and made good, and then ruined my faith and trust in peo- ple in need. She stole money, lied to our faces, lied to our kids."
Speaking on behalf of herself and another mom, Sarah Bees asked for leniency for Streng, whom she said was left with nothing.
"No car, no home, no money, no friends, no job and basically no family," Bees said. "Prison is
for people who are a danger to society, and we feel she is
not. Candace is a bright young woman whom we believe deep down is a good person. We also believe she is mentally ill; serv- ing more time would only make it worse."
Streng apologize
in court Thursday, saying she con- cocted the story to make friends and gain atten- tion.
"Now I rightly have no friends after such betray- al," Streng said. "I deeply regret trespassing those friends and strangers alike, who showed me so much love and generosity. I'm
disgusted and ashamed that I lied to people and manipulated them out of their hard- earned money."
"I will forever live with the shame and guilt of my crime," she added, "and I'm sincerely sorry to all my victims."
The GoFundMe page, which erro-
neously stated that Streng had stage 4 breast cancer, was deactivated earli- er this year fol- lowing an investi- gation by Brighton police.
Streng has since paid more than $19,000 toward restitution owed to people who donated money.
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