It was November 2008 and Ashley Kirilow had to visit her doctor to have a benign lump from her breast removed. This simple procedure that bore no health risks whatsoever turned into Kirilow telling her then-boyfriend that she had breast cancer. While initially Kirilow told the lie in order to only gain some sympathy and attention, it turned into an elaborate scheme that Kirilow used to scam thousands of dollars from unsuspecting people.
After finding out that she could lie to people about having cancer and get away with it, Kirilow took the story even further. She shaved her head, plucked her eyebrows, and started a Facebook Fan page for the bogus charity called “Change for the Cure.” This Facebook page had over 4,000 members on it at one point. Kirilow also took approximately $12,000 from people who believed they were donating to charity when really, they were only giving money to Kirilow.
Kirilow appeared in a Burlington courthouse on Thursday, April 7, 2011 to face charges of fraud for concocting her scheme and using it to cheat others out of money. There her psychiatrist, Dr. Turner, explained to the court Kirilow’s background of a dysfunctional childhood where she was neglected and ignored by her parents. Dr. Turner suggested that Kirilow was suffering from post-traumatic stress that had been with her for several years since her early years and that these actions were a result of that. Dr. Turner also suggested that Kirilow was mainly seeking attention, not cash. Kirilow’s lawyer, Brendan Neil, also explained that Kirilow was on a cocktail of drugs for her psychiatric condition.
However, both also wanted to make very clear that Kirilow was not there for a pity party, and that she was ready to accept responsibility for her actions. And while Kirilow did not speak on her own behalf, her lawyer also told the court that Kirilow had future plans to contact each of the people she had cheated so that she could personally apologize.
After appearing in court on Thursday, the judge decided along with the prosecuting attorney, that restitution would not be necessary or practical, as the victims were robbed mostly of their trust and not their money. Kirilow was sentenced to 10 months of house arrest, 5 months of strict curfew, 2 years of probation, and 100 hours of community service. Kirilow is currently living at the Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital in Burlington, in the psychiatric ward. It is here that she will begin serving her house arrest sentence.
Woman who Faked Cancer was Sentenced Yesterday
It was November 2008 and Ashley Kirilow had to visit her doctor to have a benign lump from her breast removed. This simple procedure that bore no health risks whatsoever turned into Kirilow telling her then-boyfriend that she had breast cancer. While initially Kirilow told the lie in order to only gain some sympathy and attention, it turned into an elaborate scheme that Kirilow used to scam thousands of dollars from unsuspecting people.
After finding out that she could lie to people about having cancer and get away with it, Kirilow took the story even further. She shaved her head, plucked her eyebrows, and started a Facebook Fan page for the bogus charity called “Change for the Cure.” This Facebook page had over 4,000 members on it at one point. Kirilow also took approximately $12,000 from people who believed they were donating to charity when really, they were only giving money to Kirilow.
Kirilow appeared in a Burlington courthouse on Thursday, April 7, 2011 to face charges of fraud for concocting her scheme and using it to cheat others out of money. There her psychiatrist, Dr. Turner, explained to the court Kirilow’s background of a dysfunctional childhood where she was neglected and ignored by her parents. Dr. Turner suggested that Kirilow was suffering from post-traumatic stress that had been with her for several years since her early years and that these actions were a result of that. Dr. Turner also suggested that Kirilow was mainly seeking attention, not cash. Kirilow’s lawyer, Brendan Neil, also explained that Kirilow was on a cocktail of drugs for her psychiatric condition.
However, both also wanted to make very clear that Kirilow was not there for a pity party, and that she was ready to accept responsibility for her actions. And while Kirilow did not speak on her own behalf, her lawyer also told the court that Kirilow had future plans to contact each of the people she had cheated so that she could personally apologize.
After appearing in court on Thursday, the judge decided along with the prosecuting attorney, that restitution would not be necessary or practical, as the victims were robbed mostly of their trust and not their money. Kirilow was sentenced to 10 months of house arrest, 5 months of strict curfew, 2 years of probation, and 100 hours of community service. Kirilow is currently living at the Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital in Burlington, in the psychiatric ward. It is here that she will begin serving her house arrest sentence.