Ohio Woman Accused of Faking Cancer for Donations

(Bowling Green, Ohio) A 38-year-old Wood County woman, Kimberlie Gustwiller, has been arrested for fraudulently fleecing the public by faking she has cancer to acquire several thousand dollars in financial support.

Due to suspicions of some residents, Gustwiller's medical records were checked and found to display no evidence of cancer. When confronted, Gustwiller admitted she had no cancer.

Gustwiller faces a charge of felony theft.

North Baltimore Police Chief Allan Baer said Ms. Gustwiller has received "several thousand dollars" from community members and other well-wishers who reached out to help the single mother they were told had been diagnosed with Stage IV non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Hair salons in this southern Wood County did a robust business streaking people's hair pink to raise money for Ms. Gustwiller, who sports a pink Mohawk.

"This town is amazingly generous and giving, and that's the thing," Chief Baer said. "It impacted everybody. It's far larger than what people realize. There are kids who made bracelets to raise funds. There' snot a girl in town that doesn't have a pink streak in her hair... They were misdirected by one individual. It's heart-breaking."

Gustwiller was booked into custody at the Wood County Jail and released on $1,500 bond.