Florida Woman Charged With Grand Theft for Faking Cancer to Scam Donors

A Florida woman has been arrested and charged with grand theft after allegedly scamming hundreds of community members out of more than $40,000 by falsely claiming to have cancer. Maribeth Ellen Jones, 51, of Bonita Springs, turned herself in at the Naples Jail Center on August 5 following the issuance of an arrest warrant. She faces a second-degree felony charge for grand theft involving between $20,000 and $100,000.

According to the Collier County Sheriff's Office, Jones, who worked as an activities director in a Naples-area community, told residents between 2022 and 2024 that she was undergoing cancer treatment. To make her story appear credible, she allegedly had community members cut her hair short, claiming she was preparing for chemotherapy. Believing she was seriously ill, 238 people donated to a GoFundMe campaign linked to her personal bank account. Donors also gave her cash and personal checks.

Investigators later concluded that Jones did not have cancer. The sheriff's office stated that she used the donated funds to pay off personal debts. The investigation also revealed that Jones had previously been the beneficiary of two other GoFundMe campaigns in which she...