Jessica Vega

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Jessica Vaga
Born 1985
Nationality United States
Known for Faking cancer

Jessica Vega is an American woman who faked having Leukemia in 2010.[1][2][3][4]

She was convicted and sentenced to time served and ordered to pay $13,000 in restitution.[4][5]

While faking cancer Vega received gifts and donations, including a honeymoon trip, and catering for her wedding.[5]

After her release Vega appeared on Good Morning America.[2] Vega's claims her boyfriend, and the father of her first child, was planning to leave her, and that the plan to fake cancer was initially just a ploy intended to prevent him from leaving, that escalated out of control. She claimed she had an accomplice, who helped her forge medical reports, but that she had chosen to keep their identity from authorities.

Her boyfriend, Michael O’Connell, did decide to stay with her after all. The couple married in 2010, and had a second child. But by 2012 O'Connell had grown suspicious over her health, reported her to authorities, and initiated divorce proceedings.

After her conviction O'Connell and Vega reconciled, with O'Connell stating he couldn't help who he loved.

References

  1. "Jessica Vega, 'Fake Cancer Bride', Is Back With Her Ex-Husband". Huffington Post. 2012-06-08. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/08/jessica-vega-fake-cancer_n_1582525.html. Retrieved 2013-06-08. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 Alice Gomstyn (2012-06-07). "‘Cancer Bride’ Alleges Accomplice But Won’t ‘Snitch’". ABC News. Archived from the original on 2012-06-08. http://web.archive.org/web/20120608030854/http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/06/cancer-bride-alleges-accomplice-but-wont-snitch/. Retrieved 2013-06-08. "In her first broadcast interview, Jessica Vega told “20/20″ co-anchor Elizabeth Vargas that a friend forged letters from doctors about her supposed cancer treatments and that Vega signed them." 
  3. Madeleine Davies (2012-06-08). "Fake Cancer Bride Is Soooo Sorry for Faking Cancer". Jezebel.com. Archived from the original on 2013-06-08. http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fjezebel.com%2F5916882%2Ffake-cancer-bride-is-soooo-sorry-for-faking-cancer&date=2013-06-08. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 Dalina Castellanos (2012-05-23). "Fake-cancer bride has done her time: She's sentenced, released". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/2012/may/23/nation/la-na-nn-fake-cancer-bride-20120523. Retrieved 2013-06-08. "The bride accused of duping her family, friends and community into thinking she had terminal cancer -- and receiving a dream wedding, honeymoon and gifts because of it -- was sentenced to time served Wednesday and released after two months in jail." 
  5. 5.0 5.1 Christina Ng (2012-04-10). "Bride Who Faked Cancer to Score Dream Wedding, Honeymoon Is Charged". ABC News. Archived from the original on 2012-06-23. http://web.archive.org/web/20120623003806/http://abcnews.go.com/US/york-bride-faked-cancer-score-dream-wedding-honeymoon/story?id=16108726#.T894grBfGf4. Retrieved 2013-06-08. "A generous New York bridal shop owner never questioned the heartbreaking story of a woman who claimed to have cancer and wanted to marry before she died. The bride's story opened the hearts and wallets of her community who donated thousands of dollars to pay for her wedding and honeymoon."