Beauty Queen Arrested After Authorities Discover Her Cancer Is Fake

Brandi Lee Weaver-Gates, the 23-year-old holder of the Miss Pennsylvania U.S. International title, was arrested after authorities learned that she had faked her battle with leukemia that she had been very publicly waging for several years in order to raise money through various events.

Apparently, Weaver-Gates shaved her head and would have relatives drive her to Johns Hopkins for treatment for her chronic lymphocytic leukemia since March 2013. According to authorities, there is no evidence that she has ever seen a doctor for cancer treatment.

CBS News reports:

…[Weaver-Gates], of State College, was arraigned Tuesday on charges of theft by deception and receiving stolen property. State police say an April bingo benefit raised $14,000 for the Miss Pennsylvania U.S. International pageant winner. Troopers, who said they were alerted to the possible scam by an anonymous tipster, are asking the public to come forward if they have donated money to Weaver-Gates.

She is currently at the Centre County Correctional Facility on a $150,000 bond.

“We were also led to believe that she was dealing with this horrible disease and stood by her as she struggled being a beauty queen and a cancer patient,” reads a statement posted to the pageant’s website. “When you deceive the public and take people’s money that is under the pretense of fraud, we will not tolerate those actions.”

It continues: “Effective immediately, Ms. Weaver-Gates is no longer a representative of the Miss Pennsylvania U.S. International organization and will be required to return her crown and sash upon her release from being detained.”