July 28, 2010 7:25 AM

Woman Fakes Breast Cancer, Sentenced To 3 1/2 Years In Prison

By
Naimah Jabali-Nash
Topics
Daily Blotter

Woman Fakes Breast Cancer, Sentenced To 3 1/2 Years In Jail

Keele Maynor (AP)

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (CBS/AP) A Chattanooga woman was sentenced to 42 months in prison after she swindled friends, co-workers and cancer support groups out of $54,000 in her attention-seeking ploy to convince them she was diagnosed with cancer.

Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge Don Poole showed no mercy to 39-year-old Keele Maynor during a four-hour hearing, in which prosecutors pushed for a probation sentence that would enable Maynor to work off her debt.

But the judge thought otherwise.

"It seems like to me some confinement is necessary," Poole said. And it's confinement she will get, along with 10 years of probation. Officials immediately took Maynor, a mother of three, into custody following her sentencing.

Maynor appeared remorseful for her actions, and in tearful testimony she claimed that she was sorry for "hurting so many people." Maynor reportedly went to extreme measures to mislead those around her, including shaving her head. She was also the recipient of more than $4,000 of proceeds following a silent charity auction held in her honor. According to Maynor, she spent the money on Christmas gifts for her children.

Maynor had previously pleaded guilty to theft and forgery in a deal with prosecutors.

Why would someone want to fake terminal cancer?

Maynor summed up her deceitful plan in her testimony when she said she felt "unloved." She continued to say she was emotionally abused by her mother during her adolescence and sexually abused by her stepbrother.

"I will spend the rest of my life trying to make my wrong right," she declared.

Assistant District Attorney Neal Pinkston said the prison time was befitting Maynor's fraudulent crimes, in which she fooled friends, co-workers and support groups like the Breast Cancer Network of Strength, a church and high school football booster club.

Her self-proclaimed "charade" came to an end in 2008 when Maynor confessed to her wrongdoings in an e-mail after she left her job in the city's regional planning department.


Add a Comment
by Amaranathe August 10, 2010 2:32 AM EDT
I feel genuine pity for this woman. I think what probobly happened is that she truly felt unloved and craved attention, love, and affection. Then, she may have thought people might show her those things if she was truly ill and so that led to faking cancer. Yes, it is a horrible lie, but everyone has lied before, so for that part, she is no worse than anyone else, b/c a lie is a lie and all are bad. But, I think what happened next is that perhaps her lie became too big. Like perhaps, she lost her job or whatever and someone heard about it and "knowing she had cancer", wanted to help so they gave her money or offered to raise money. Then, perhaps she didnt know how to refuse, since if she truly did have it and lost her job, she would need the money, (and legitimately being unemployed, she really did need money), so that may have led to her taking it. That's what I mean about how maybe she didnt intend to defraud people out of money initially, but the lie just got too big.

I dont know. I just know that whatever happened, she truly does have mental problems to do this, and is in genuine need of psychiatric assistance through intensive psychotherapy or whatever. I do feel as part of her punishment, she should have to pay back everyone she defrauded, as well as maybe have to do community service at an oncology ward or somewhere else that would benefit true cancer patients.

But, no matter what, I do think she is to be pitied, and those who know her should amp up their demonstrations of affection for her, rather than withdraw them. After all, she is in more need than ever of genunine affection. JMHO! May God forgive her, have mercy upon her, and may he be with her, and bless her and each of her victims.
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by marti1476 July 28, 2010 5:53 PM EDT
I agree with you. She made a bad judgment call and was wrong to send the photos but there are thugs and rapists/child molesters that get set free. She not only humiliated herself but lost her livelihood and reputation by being so irresponsible. That teaching degree takes a lot of hard work to obtain and because of this, she'll be lucky to work at Taco Bell.
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by marti1476 July 28, 2010 5:56 PM EDT
sorry this posted on wrong board. I was trying to post on the teacher. I in NO WAY think this is ok!
by Wildwood1966 July 28, 2010 10:15 AM EDT
I agree that this was a horrible thing to do - especially because she used a disease that is so crippling to so many - however I also believe that she should become a viable part of society and pay back everybody she owes and then do volunteer work for cancer
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by larlinc July 28, 2010 10:02 AM EDT
What a despicable and vile charade! This woman truly deserves to be punished severely. I hope she serves her full sentence in jail.
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