FBI: She Took Donations for Cancer Treatment for Vacay

The FBI has announced it is still hunting for a Pennsylvania woman who scammed her friends and family with claims of a nonexistent terminal brain cancer. Federal agents say Vanessa O'Rourke, 37, spent months telling loved ones that she was dying of glioblastoma, drawing $12,000 in donations from more than 140 people on GoFundMe, per People. Supporters allegedly organized the online fundraiser, other in-person events, and handed over cash from October 2015 through July 2016, believing they were helping her cover medical bills and experimental care overseas, Fox News reports.

Instead, investigators say, O'Rourke went sightseeing and vacationing in Australia. Upon her return home, she allegedly kept the cancer story going, raising more money and funding a second Australian getaway. A federal grand jury indicted O'Rourke in May 2018 on 15 counts of wire fraud, and a warrant was issued for her arrest; she has been on the run since. She was last known to be living in Queensland, Australia, People reports. The FBI is urging anyone with information on O'Rourke's current whereabouts to contact law enforcement.