Woman who lied about having cancer to be sentenced

MURRIETA, Calif. - A Southern California woman who falsely claimed she had terminal cancer and scammed people out of money and gifts is scheduled to be sentenced Monday after being convicted of theft by false pretenses, reports CBS Los Angeles.

One of 39-year-old Christina Lagman's victims told the station she put a couple hundred dollars in a pink bag Lagman passed around after hearing she had cancer.

"...she had three of them going around the room. It says 'Cancer sucks' and everyone was putting cash in them," said Valerie Cortes.

"She was very believable. She was very convincing. She wrote long messages on her Facebook page that were just so heart-wrenching about being scared and alone," Cortes added.

She said Lagman, of Riverside County, even looked the part of a cancer victim. The 39-year-old reportedly shaved her head.

But Cortes eventually became suspicious of Lagman and ultimately tipped off Murietta police after learning Lagman had previously been convicted of fraud and embezzlement.

"She said on Facebook anybody that doesn't believe me is more than welcome to take me to the doctor and pay the bill, and I said I'll do it, and she immediately unfriended me," Cortes said.

According to court documents, Lagman showed investigators a letter from a doctor who said she had cancer, but police quickly learned the letter was phony and Lagman was arrested, CBS Los Angeles reported.

Lagman pleaded guilty Wednesday to theft on false pretenses. She is likely to get less than three years in jail when she is sentenced Monday, according to the station.

Officials say she will also have to refund her victims the money they gave her.