Woman who raked in $250K after faking being cancer-stricken Marine veteran is jailed for six years

A con artist who raked in more than $250,000 worth of donations after lying about being a cancer-stricken Marine Corps veteran has been sentenced to nearly six years in prison.

Sarah Jane Cavanaugh claimed to have served in Iraq and Afghanistan from 2009 until 2016 during which time she developed lung cancer due to her exposure to burn pits. 

On Tuesday she was jailed for six years and ordered to repay all of the money after pleading guilty to aggravated identity theft, forged military discharge certificates, fraudulent use of military medals and four counts of wire fraud.

Veterans’ groups welcomed the sentencing as they accused the 32-year-old of exploiting the ‘kindness and respect shown to our nation’s deserving veterans.’

Cavanaugh’s web of lies began when she was working as a social worker at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Providence. 

She used her position to access the records belonging to a real Marine with cancer and then falsified documents to state she served in the army before being honorably discharged.

She claimed to have stage IV lung cancer as a result of her exposure to burn pits. 

Cavanaugh even bought a Purple Heart and Bronze Star medal online and wore them publicly and was named commander of a Veterans of Foreign Wars post. 

Source of data and images: dailymail