Denver woman fakes cancer, fraudulently takes $30,000 in donations

(CBS) WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. - A hospice worker has been indicted for allegedly faking a cancer diagnosis and taking thousands of dollars from unsuspecting donors.

CBS Denver reports that donors gave 35-year-old Jennifer Risa Stover more than $30,000 after she supposedly told them she was fighting cancer. She is facing charges of faking illness and fraudulently  taking the money.

Stover was a hospice worker at the Collier Hospice Center between Jan. 2010 and April 2011. Her employer began to question her time off requests, which she said were for uterine cancer treatments, and she resigned.

The Denver Post reports Stover told coworkers she was undergoing "experimental treatments," as part of her story, according to a Jefferson County district attorney's office news release.

According to court documents, Stover has never had uterine cancer or been treated for any cancer. The documents say she used the fake diagnosis to get donations from 16 victims. Her coworkers donated paid time off so Stover could continue to get paid while she took off work for "treatments," reports ABC affiliate KMGH.

One donated $12,000 for her medical treatments, mortgage payments, car payments, groceries and other expenses. This coworker became suspicious and asked a supervisor for advice, spurring police to investigate.

Stover was indicted by a grand jury on theft of $20,000 or more and charitable fraud.

She surrendered to police at the county jail Tuesday and was released after posting $5,000 bond.

Jefferson County Attorney Scott Storey says this is the type of scam victims are always willing to help a friend who is sick.

"Cancer is a devastating disease, as we all know -- both physically and financially," Storey said. "So when the call to help comes from somebody who is in this condition, people rally around that, so they're easy prey."

"In today's world, boy, unfortunately you have to be somewhat paranoid," he said.