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00:00:24,024 --> 00:00:27,653
{\an8}Amanda, at this stage
is cornered, really.
2
00:00:28,237 --> 00:00:29,822
They raided her house.
3
00:00:31,949 --> 00:00:35,618
{\an8}My mom sent me videos
of them hiding out
4
00:00:35,619 --> 00:00:37,872
{\an8}in the back of the car.
5
00:00:38,122 --> 00:00:40,624
Wow! Going in.
6
00:00:41,667 --> 00:00:45,295
And I remember my mom
being so happy.
7
00:00:45,296 --> 00:00:47,131
- There's so many
of them.
- I'm shaking.
8
00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:49,884
Now, looking back,
I-- I get it.
9
00:00:50,301 --> 00:00:52,218
They put my mom through hell.
10
00:00:52,219 --> 00:00:54,263
- Oh, my God.
- Oh, my God.
11
00:00:55,765 --> 00:01:00,143
But you don't ever want to know
people are living in the world
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00:01:00,144 --> 00:01:03,397
faking cancer and stuff.
So, for me, it was kind of, um,
13
00:01:03,981 --> 00:01:05,733
not something to be celebrated.
14
00:01:11,113 --> 00:01:13,865
{\an8}I was like, "Okay, this is done.
They're caught. This is over."
15
00:01:15,576 --> 00:01:19,622
But it wasn't over.
Not even close.
16
00:01:29,507 --> 00:01:31,133
{\an8}She's not under arrest
at the moment.
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00:01:33,844 --> 00:01:36,305
It just takes time
for-- for stuff to happen.
18
00:01:40,684 --> 00:01:44,354
At the time,
Jessa was back in my custody.
19
00:01:44,355 --> 00:01:46,899
I got her back abruptly
20
00:01:47,358 --> 00:01:49,609
because Amanda's family
went on a cruise
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00:01:49,610 --> 00:01:52,695
for Amanda's 30th birthday.
And apparently,
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00:01:52,696 --> 00:01:54,823
there was some heavy drinking
on board,
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00:01:54,824 --> 00:01:58,202
and some behaviors
that made Jessa uncomfortable.
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00:01:59,036 --> 00:02:01,121
And I got full
physical legal custody back.
25
00:02:06,544 --> 00:02:10,046
After the raid, it was important
for me to be completely,
26
00:02:10,047 --> 00:02:11,799
100% truthful with Jessa.
27
00:02:12,174 --> 00:02:14,384
And so, I told her that
there's suspicion
28
00:02:14,385 --> 00:02:16,345
that Amanda
does not have cancer.
29
00:02:17,137 --> 00:02:19,722
And at that point, she did know
something was off
30
00:02:19,723 --> 00:02:22,268
because she had found
a portion of an IV
31
00:02:22,601 --> 00:02:23,978
in her little brother's
playroom.
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00:02:26,021 --> 00:02:28,398
And so, Jessa texted Amanda
about the raid
33
00:02:28,399 --> 00:02:29,858
and was asking questions.
34
00:02:32,319 --> 00:02:36,322
{\an8}Aletta felt it was necessary
to explain to Jessa
35
00:02:36,323 --> 00:02:37,783
{\an8}what had happened.
36
00:02:39,076 --> 00:02:42,662
{\an8}Amanda couldn't even tell Jessa
the truth at that point.
37
00:02:42,663 --> 00:02:45,123
It was very much like,
38
00:02:45,124 --> 00:02:46,708
"You don't know
what you're talking about.
39
00:02:46,709 --> 00:02:50,212
"You're being fed lies.
This is all your mom's doing."
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00:02:50,796 --> 00:02:53,590
And Jessa knew
that wasn't the case.
41
00:02:53,591 --> 00:02:56,301
And so, she pressed,
you know, Amanda.
42
00:03:03,350 --> 00:03:06,478
{\an8}Amanda had got upset because
I had discussed it with Jessa.
43
00:03:06,770 --> 00:03:08,313
But, you know,
of course I have to.
44
00:03:16,113 --> 00:03:18,197
I was very sad by the situation,
45
00:03:18,198 --> 00:03:19,992
and I wish
it had never come to that.
46
00:03:29,877 --> 00:03:32,588
The emotional distress
that Jessa had to go under,
47
00:03:33,547 --> 00:03:36,091
thinking that her stepmom
was gonna die,
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00:03:36,634 --> 00:03:39,470
{\an8}saying that she might
have to go into surgery
49
00:03:40,012 --> 00:03:42,431
{\an8}to save Amanda's life,
that's abuse.
50
00:03:44,516 --> 00:03:51,439
Amanda told Jessa
that... she and her brothers
51
00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:54,234
were gonna have to get
some of their bone marrow
52
00:03:54,693 --> 00:03:56,862
to possibly save Amanda's life.
53
00:03:57,404 --> 00:04:02,493
Now, not only are you lying,
you're terrifying your children.
54
00:04:03,118 --> 00:04:04,995
Imagine the two little ones...
55
00:04:06,664 --> 00:04:08,832
thinking that
their mom's gonna die.
56
00:04:10,459 --> 00:04:14,338
Wow. The--
How can a mother do that?
57
00:04:17,383 --> 00:04:18,842
Then Cory,
58
00:04:19,176 --> 00:04:21,594
supposedly he went
to the hospitals with her.
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00:04:21,595 --> 00:04:23,055
He did treatments with her.
60
00:04:24,723 --> 00:04:28,935
She has an IV pole
and IV items in the house.
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00:04:28,936 --> 00:04:30,145
How could he not know?
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00:04:35,567 --> 00:04:39,029
{\an8}He stood next to her
crying to me.
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00:04:39,905 --> 00:04:41,615
{\an8}He backed her up.
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00:04:43,325 --> 00:04:47,412
I think at some point,
Cory believed her.
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00:04:47,413 --> 00:04:50,457
And I think at some point,
he knew it was a lie.
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00:04:52,501 --> 00:04:56,504
Proving where that line is,
is a harder go,
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00:04:56,505 --> 00:04:58,173
because then you can say,
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00:04:58,507 --> 00:05:00,676
"She fooled
this entire congregation.
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00:05:01,552 --> 00:05:02,845
"She fooled her mom.
70
00:05:04,346 --> 00:05:06,097
"Why is it far-fetched
to fool a husband
71
00:05:06,098 --> 00:05:09,726
"who sees her with a shaved head
and shivering in the bed
72
00:05:09,727 --> 00:05:11,895
"and oxygen tubes?"
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00:05:22,197 --> 00:05:26,701
{\an8}Literally hours after
federal agents left her home...
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00:05:28,328 --> 00:05:30,246
...Amanda posted on Facebook.
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00:05:31,749 --> 00:05:34,584
It was lymphoma
cancer awareness month,
76
00:05:34,585 --> 00:05:38,297
and she's posting an old picture
of her bald.
77
00:05:40,174 --> 00:05:43,009
I just couldn't believe
what I was seeing.
78
00:05:43,010 --> 00:05:44,386
Nothing stopped her.
79
00:05:46,889 --> 00:05:49,474
{\an8}She told me that what she was
80
00:05:49,475 --> 00:05:52,144
{\an8}getting in trouble for
was the tax evasion.
81
00:05:54,271 --> 00:05:57,106
Amanda told everyone
that it's just all a mix-up
82
00:05:57,107 --> 00:05:58,691
to do with tax
'cause she didn't realize
83
00:05:58,692 --> 00:06:02,112
she had to pay tax on the money
that people had gifted her.
84
00:06:03,113 --> 00:06:05,949
So, Amanda actually didn't hide
away from it.
85
00:06:07,493 --> 00:06:10,579
But the police
and the IRS investigating her
86
00:06:10,829 --> 00:06:11,955
weren't gonna go away.
87
00:06:20,005 --> 00:06:21,297
My father-in-law,
88
00:06:21,298 --> 00:06:23,591
the senior pastor
of Family Community Church,
89
00:06:23,592 --> 00:06:25,010
came to me privately
and said, "Hey,
90
00:06:25,511 --> 00:06:27,637
"there's an investigation
going on. I need to know.
91
00:06:27,638 --> 00:06:29,056
{\an8}"Does Amanda have cancer?"
92
00:06:29,723 --> 00:06:32,558
{\an8}And I said, I...
"She says she does."
93
00:06:32,559 --> 00:06:34,728
And that's when he said,
"I just caution you,
94
00:06:35,813 --> 00:06:39,899
"uh, to not give any more
to Cory and Amanda."
95
00:06:39,900 --> 00:06:43,319
Uh, he said, "We're not gonna be
donating anything any further."
96
00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:44,655
And that
97
00:06:45,197 --> 00:06:47,156
made the hair on the back
of my neck stand up.
98
00:06:47,157 --> 00:06:50,993
Um, so many people read my blog
and hear my story,
99
00:06:50,994 --> 00:06:54,873
and ask about my faith.
Um, that's all God.
100
00:06:56,875 --> 00:06:59,461
We would see less and less
of her at the church.
101
00:06:59,837 --> 00:07:02,589
She stopped coming,
really, to the main service.
102
00:07:04,299 --> 00:07:07,052
My father-in-law loves
his congregation.
103
00:07:07,928 --> 00:07:12,807
And anytime
anyone's giving their testimony
104
00:07:12,808 --> 00:07:16,478
or sharing their faith,
especially from the pulpit,
105
00:07:17,855 --> 00:07:20,774
he expects that it's genuine
and authentic.
106
00:07:21,275 --> 00:07:24,610
Don't ignore Jesus
because he is always there,
107
00:07:24,611 --> 00:07:27,155
and it would be unfortunate
if he brought you your miracle,
108
00:07:27,156 --> 00:07:28,447
and you weren't watching.
109
00:07:29,992 --> 00:07:31,117
It was very painful
110
00:07:31,118 --> 00:07:33,035
to look at these videos
and pictures
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00:07:33,036 --> 00:07:37,206
and see somebody that claimed
to be a person of faith
112
00:07:37,207 --> 00:07:40,502
give false testimony
to a room full of believers.
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00:07:41,503 --> 00:07:43,839
She had thousands
of people duped.
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00:07:44,882 --> 00:07:49,177
I don't think, in that church,
that there was one person
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00:07:49,178 --> 00:07:51,263
standing in the background
going,
116
00:07:52,264 --> 00:07:53,640
"Something doesn't add up."
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00:07:54,766 --> 00:07:56,101
She doesn't care.
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00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:58,978
She doesn't care that
people are looking into her.
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00:07:58,979 --> 00:08:01,772
She was now away
from the FCC church,
120
00:08:01,773 --> 00:08:03,233
and she wasn't gonna stop.
121
00:08:05,527 --> 00:08:08,196
And sure enough,
someone said to me,
122
00:08:08,197 --> 00:08:10,865
"Well, you know,
Amanda's now gonna be principal
123
00:08:10,866 --> 00:08:13,118
"at a elementary school
in Gilroy."
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00:08:15,495 --> 00:08:17,831
She moved 40 minutes away,
125
00:08:18,415 --> 00:08:21,335
and I just knew this school
was gonna be her next target.
126
00:08:35,098 --> 00:08:37,516
When the police
went after Amanda,
127
00:08:37,517 --> 00:08:39,478
she pulled away from the church.
128
00:08:40,771 --> 00:08:42,773
But she was very, very charming,
129
00:08:43,357 --> 00:08:47,486
{\an8}and Amanda used it
to her advantage.
130
00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:54,575
Amanda was teaching,
131
00:08:54,576 --> 00:08:57,370
and then, she was hired
as a principal
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00:08:57,371 --> 00:08:59,289
at a school
called Pacific Point.
133
00:09:01,500 --> 00:09:05,045
Interview Natalie,
take one, A, B, C, common mark.
134
00:09:05,379 --> 00:09:09,508
{\an8}I am a parent at Pacific Point
Christian School.
135
00:09:10,634 --> 00:09:13,302
My daughter attended
Pacific Point
136
00:09:13,303 --> 00:09:14,680
when Amanda was principal.
137
00:09:18,684 --> 00:09:21,894
When she was first hired,
everybody loved her.
138
00:09:21,895 --> 00:09:24,106
The kids loved her.
My daughter adored her.
139
00:09:25,941 --> 00:09:30,904
She was charming,
charismatic, seemed very caring.
140
00:09:31,154 --> 00:09:32,656
There were no red flags.
141
00:09:36,910 --> 00:09:40,454
{\an8}No one at that school
would have had any idea
142
00:09:40,455 --> 00:09:42,332
that she was being investigated.
143
00:09:51,675 --> 00:09:53,176
{\an8}Hi.
144
00:09:55,095 --> 00:09:58,932
{\an8}My son, James,
was going into kindergarten.
145
00:10:00,183 --> 00:10:02,686
So, we went to Pac Point
to take a tour.
146
00:10:03,437 --> 00:10:06,064
When we got there,
we met Amanda Riley.
147
00:10:09,151 --> 00:10:12,195
My husband and myself thought
she was so amazing.
148
00:10:14,364 --> 00:10:17,283
And we wanted to find a school
that would accommodate us
149
00:10:17,284 --> 00:10:18,368
in our situation.
150
00:10:20,329 --> 00:10:22,455
Because of James' older brother,
Jonathan,
151
00:10:22,456 --> 00:10:24,957
having Niemann-Pick's
type C disease,
152
00:10:24,958 --> 00:10:27,044
we refer to it
as childhood Alzheimer's,
153
00:10:27,377 --> 00:10:29,962
I had told her
how we are in a clinical trial
154
00:10:29,963 --> 00:10:32,965
and have to go
to all these different places.
155
00:10:32,966 --> 00:10:35,719
And because James is so young,
he needs to come with us.
156
00:10:36,762 --> 00:10:38,221
And she understood.
157
00:10:40,766 --> 00:10:41,932
And then she had told us
158
00:10:41,933 --> 00:10:43,934
she was in remission
from cancer.
159
00:10:46,438 --> 00:10:48,147
And at the end of our tour,
160
00:10:48,148 --> 00:10:51,943
she prayed with me
and my husband, and Jonathan,
161
00:10:52,194 --> 00:10:54,571
and told him,
"I understand how you feel."
162
00:10:55,572 --> 00:10:57,115
"I went through treatment
as well."
163
00:11:00,243 --> 00:11:03,330
I knew it was only a matter
of time till she started,
164
00:11:04,498 --> 00:11:06,165
you know, "I'm so sick.
165
00:11:06,166 --> 00:11:08,627
"My cancer's back,
I need money, my family."
166
00:11:10,212 --> 00:11:13,632
And that's exactly
what happened fairly quickly.
167
00:11:17,844 --> 00:11:20,971
There was a fundraiser
for another staff member
168
00:11:20,972 --> 00:11:24,601
at Pac Point that had
her cancer come back.
169
00:11:26,436 --> 00:11:28,271
And soon after that,
170
00:11:28,647 --> 00:11:31,107
Amanda announced
to the community at the school
171
00:11:31,108 --> 00:11:33,026
that her cancer was also back,
172
00:11:33,527 --> 00:11:35,987
and that she was going to
173
00:11:36,238 --> 00:11:38,782
be going through more chemo
and more treatments.
174
00:11:42,953 --> 00:11:46,415
Miss Cindy was sick,
and you could see it.
175
00:11:48,750 --> 00:11:52,002
But she worked as long
as she could
176
00:11:52,003 --> 00:11:54,089
because she loved our kids
so much.
177
00:11:57,676 --> 00:12:00,637
We learned about Amanda's health
pretty quickly on,
178
00:12:01,012 --> 00:12:03,222
and the kids at our school
prayed for her.
179
00:12:03,223 --> 00:12:04,307
They made her little gifts.
180
00:12:07,144 --> 00:12:10,397
It was her first year,
but everybody supported her,
181
00:12:11,398 --> 00:12:13,024
and wanted to help.
182
00:12:18,822 --> 00:12:20,781
So, the school sent out
the emails
183
00:12:20,782 --> 00:12:22,074
that they were doing
this fundraiser
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00:12:22,075 --> 00:12:24,411
for Miss Cindy and Miss Riley.
185
00:12:25,745 --> 00:12:28,331
Gilroy
is an amazing community.
186
00:12:28,874 --> 00:12:30,041
The people are generous.
187
00:12:31,376 --> 00:12:33,628
People would write checks.
They would give cash.
188
00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:37,716
Teachers went to go visit Amanda
at the hospital.
189
00:12:40,594 --> 00:12:45,055
The school... did what I think
Amanda expected,
190
00:12:45,056 --> 00:12:47,893
which was to fundraise
for her as well.
191
00:12:48,602 --> 00:12:50,479
And all the money
that they raised
192
00:12:50,896 --> 00:12:53,398
over the next months and year,
193
00:12:53,732 --> 00:12:57,152
um, was split between Miss Cindy
and-- and Amanda.
194
00:12:59,529 --> 00:13:03,115
I noticed one of the families
she was involved with was,
195
00:13:03,116 --> 00:13:07,828
uh, Rebecca Spencer's family,
and Rebecca's son, Jonathan,
196
00:13:07,829 --> 00:13:11,415
who was a young man
that had a terminal illness.
197
00:13:11,416 --> 00:13:12,667
And I reached out.
198
00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:15,252
I got a phone call from Nancy.
199
00:13:15,253 --> 00:13:18,255
And honestly,
when she first called me,
200
00:13:18,256 --> 00:13:20,258
I thought, "This lady's crazy."
201
00:13:22,219 --> 00:13:26,056
But then as I talked to her,
then I got angry because...
202
00:13:27,766 --> 00:13:31,645
my son is only alive
because of people's donations.
203
00:13:31,978 --> 00:13:35,314
And for somebody to lie and say
that they have a disease,
204
00:13:35,315 --> 00:13:39,110
and they don't have it,
this is beyond disgusting.
205
00:13:41,821 --> 00:13:43,447
She prayed with Jonathan,
206
00:13:43,448 --> 00:13:45,366
and said,
"I understand how it is
207
00:13:45,367 --> 00:13:47,953
"to have a terminal illness,
a disease."
208
00:13:49,454 --> 00:13:50,872
And, no, she didn't.
209
00:13:51,790 --> 00:13:54,084
She didn't go through
what Jonathan goes through.
210
00:13:59,047 --> 00:14:01,341
Um, Miss Cindy
was a wonderful person.
211
00:14:04,177 --> 00:14:06,346
She had a tragic story.
212
00:14:07,847 --> 00:14:12,142
I was there, uh, with her
the day before she died,
213
00:14:12,143 --> 00:14:16,106
my husband and I.
And she is so missed.
214
00:14:22,362 --> 00:14:26,199
So, when we all found out
Amanda was being investigated,
215
00:14:26,950 --> 00:14:30,287
we were heartbroken for her kids
and for all of the victims,
216
00:14:30,704 --> 00:14:33,747
but we were also angry
that Miss Cindy died...
217
00:14:35,375 --> 00:14:38,837
...and that those kids
grieved for her,
218
00:14:39,170 --> 00:14:42,173
and that she put our kids
through torture.
219
00:14:45,844 --> 00:14:47,219
It was at that point
220
00:14:47,220 --> 00:14:49,597
some of my colleagues
at my office
221
00:14:49,598 --> 00:14:52,641
made the decision to reach out
at the school.
222
00:14:54,144 --> 00:14:56,145
"Hey, I wanna know more
about your principal.
223
00:14:56,146 --> 00:14:58,064
"I may be
sending my child there."
224
00:14:59,524 --> 00:15:02,693
Amanda, I think,
quickly figured out it was, uh,
225
00:15:02,694 --> 00:15:04,571
somehow related to me.
226
00:15:06,990 --> 00:15:09,159
And she filed the restraining
order against me.
227
00:15:24,215 --> 00:15:26,216
It was a Friday night
on a holiday weekend,
228
00:15:26,217 --> 00:15:27,761
and I came home,
229
00:15:28,261 --> 00:15:29,970
went to get the mail
out of the mailbox,
230
00:15:29,971 --> 00:15:34,183
{\an8}and there was just all
these papers stuffed in there.
231
00:15:34,184 --> 00:15:36,143
I thought it was junk mail,
and I'm pulling through,
232
00:15:36,144 --> 00:15:38,479
pulling all these papers out,
and I see Amanda Riley,
233
00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:40,773
and I see my name, and I'm like,
"What the hell is this?"
234
00:15:40,774 --> 00:15:43,568
And I-- I start to realize
it was court papers.
235
00:15:44,986 --> 00:15:48,281
Amanda had filed
a restraining order against me.
236
00:15:49,366 --> 00:15:51,867
In the paperwork to the courts,
237
00:15:51,868 --> 00:15:56,080
she claimed I was calling
her workplace hundreds of times.
238
00:15:56,081 --> 00:15:59,333
She was claiming that I got
her fired at her past jobs,
239
00:15:59,334 --> 00:16:00,585
that I got Cory fired.
240
00:16:02,253 --> 00:16:04,964
She claimed I was taking on
these pseudonyms
241
00:16:05,465 --> 00:16:07,758
and reaching out
to random people
242
00:16:07,759 --> 00:16:09,134
accusing her of things
243
00:16:09,135 --> 00:16:11,221
and harassing her
on every level.
244
00:16:13,098 --> 00:16:16,183
It took months
and thousands of dollars
245
00:16:16,184 --> 00:16:19,144
to get to the point
where we could finally
246
00:16:19,145 --> 00:16:21,022
have our day in court.
247
00:16:21,481 --> 00:16:25,235
I testified. Amanda testified.
Cory testified.
248
00:16:26,444 --> 00:16:28,946
Cory testified
that he was by his wife's side
249
00:16:28,947 --> 00:16:31,533
at appointments
for the last five years.
250
00:16:33,076 --> 00:16:36,328
But as a member of the press
and doing, uh,
251
00:16:36,329 --> 00:16:37,914
this for a news organization,
252
00:16:38,248 --> 00:16:39,833
this was
a First Amendment issue.
253
00:16:41,292 --> 00:16:44,211
Nancy was in the right of,
254
00:16:44,212 --> 00:16:46,046
basically, the freedom of press.
255
00:16:50,593 --> 00:16:52,846
But it became
so personal for Nancy.
256
00:16:53,430 --> 00:16:54,680
And then, you've got Amanda
257
00:16:54,681 --> 00:16:59,017
{\an8}with the same tenacity
and determination,
258
00:16:59,018 --> 00:17:01,104
{\an8}to then quiet Nancy down.
259
00:17:05,859 --> 00:17:08,111
Subjects
in criminal investigations
260
00:17:08,945 --> 00:17:12,407
{\an8}will often say that it's
a mistake or a misunderstanding.
261
00:17:13,283 --> 00:17:14,992
I just keep going on
with my case
262
00:17:14,993 --> 00:17:16,702
and get the proper evidence
263
00:17:16,703 --> 00:17:18,663
for her to eventually
get charged.
264
00:17:19,664 --> 00:17:21,248
It took a long time,
265
00:17:21,249 --> 00:17:26,379
but the good thing was that
it's still happening.
266
00:17:26,755 --> 00:17:32,217
{\an8}It's just gonna show, you know,
how brazen this person is,
267
00:17:32,218 --> 00:17:35,096
{\an8}even after they know
it's at this level.
268
00:17:39,058 --> 00:17:41,394
{\an8} I remember when
that press release went out,
269
00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:44,855
that Amanda Riley
had been indicted.
270
00:17:44,856 --> 00:17:47,691
These were the charges,
and here's what she did.
271
00:17:48,985 --> 00:17:50,903
And places picked up
on the story
272
00:17:50,904 --> 00:17:54,907
because it's not every day
you get a headline
273
00:17:54,908 --> 00:17:58,286
that someone was faking cancer
for eight years,
274
00:17:58,828 --> 00:18:01,206
taking tens
of thousands of dollars.
275
00:18:01,790 --> 00:18:05,793
At that point I knew also
that all the victims,
276
00:18:05,794 --> 00:18:09,254
if they donated through
the Support Amanda site,
277
00:18:09,255 --> 00:18:14,635
were receiving a letter saying,
"You are the victim of a fraud."
278
00:18:17,931 --> 00:18:19,890
{\an8}I had a little email thing flash
279
00:18:19,891 --> 00:18:21,893
{\an8}and it just said,
"Department of Justice."
280
00:18:22,477 --> 00:18:23,853
And I read through it.
281
00:18:25,355 --> 00:18:26,648
I just remember going cold.
282
00:18:27,524 --> 00:18:28,733
I started Googling it.
283
00:18:30,485 --> 00:18:31,945
I was like, "Wait, what?"
284
00:18:32,445 --> 00:18:35,614
I've given,
on the low side, 20,000,
285
00:18:35,615 --> 00:18:37,533
on the high side, 30,000.
286
00:18:37,534 --> 00:18:40,787
And that's in actual cash.
That does not include gifts.
287
00:18:42,831 --> 00:18:45,792
I felt like I w--
was owed an explanation.
288
00:18:47,836 --> 00:18:49,295
So, I reached out to her mom.
289
00:18:50,672 --> 00:18:53,633
I asked Peggy, I was like,
"Peggy, like, what do you know?"
290
00:18:54,092 --> 00:18:57,177
And she says, "Rebecca,
you know Amanda has cancer.
291
00:18:57,178 --> 00:18:58,554
"You know Amanda's innocent.
292
00:18:58,555 --> 00:18:59,848
"I was at
those doctor's appointments."
293
00:19:04,477 --> 00:19:06,229
And that was all I had to hear.
294
00:19:09,482 --> 00:19:11,860
{\an8}Rebecca couldn't get
her head around
295
00:19:12,110 --> 00:19:14,946
that Amanda was capable
of something like this.
296
00:19:19,284 --> 00:19:20,826
Amanda,
within the next couple of days,
297
00:19:20,827 --> 00:19:22,327
reached out to me,
and she's like,
298
00:19:22,328 --> 00:19:23,871
"I'm so sorry that, like,
299
00:19:23,872 --> 00:19:25,080
"you're even being brought up
in this.
300
00:19:25,081 --> 00:19:27,000
"It's... This is,
like, my nightmare."
301
00:19:28,001 --> 00:19:31,504
And so I said, like,
"Amanda, listen, I believe you."
302
00:19:32,088 --> 00:19:34,798
"I am trying to answer
a lot of people right now
303
00:19:34,799 --> 00:19:38,093
"in my life that
are challenging me with this.
304
00:19:38,094 --> 00:19:40,429
"Like,
can you give me anything?"
305
00:19:40,430 --> 00:19:43,640
{\an8}
306
00:19:43,641 --> 00:19:45,559
{\an8}And she said, "Well,
I have an appointment.
307
00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:47,228
"Y-- You can come with me."
308
00:19:47,770 --> 00:19:49,063
And I was like,
"That's amazing."
309
00:19:49,856 --> 00:19:52,901
And she texted me
the day before.
310
00:19:54,319 --> 00:19:56,445
And she's like, "Unfortunately,
because of all the protocols
311
00:19:56,446 --> 00:19:58,697
"right now with COVID,
you're not gonna be able
312
00:19:58,698 --> 00:20:00,657
"to come in with me,
but I can FaceTime you."
313
00:20:00,658 --> 00:20:02,367
And I was like,
"Totally understandable.
314
00:20:02,368 --> 00:20:05,329
"That totally makes sense."
Um, and so, she FaceTimed me.
315
00:20:08,249 --> 00:20:10,751
And she had on
one of the little medical hats,
316
00:20:10,752 --> 00:20:13,462
and was wearing a mask.
And I could see a nurse
317
00:20:13,463 --> 00:20:14,963
in the background
kind of moving around.
318
00:20:14,964 --> 00:20:18,091
And I could see the...
the metal from the IV.
319
00:20:18,092 --> 00:20:20,510
And you could see
the IV in her arm.
320
00:20:20,511 --> 00:20:22,512
And I'm like,
"Okay, she's...
321
00:20:22,513 --> 00:20:23,847
"...she's having treatment."
322
00:20:23,848 --> 00:20:26,558
I even took a picture
when she FaceTimed me,
323
00:20:26,559 --> 00:20:28,185
and I sent it
to my friends and family.
324
00:20:28,186 --> 00:20:30,687
And I was like, "Look,
she is in treatment right now."
325
00:20:30,688 --> 00:20:32,815
Like, "This is all
going to get blown over."
326
00:20:34,025 --> 00:20:37,528
I had no doubt about it at all.
I mean, to a fault.
327
00:20:38,821 --> 00:20:40,322
At what point in the process
328
00:20:40,323 --> 00:20:41,741
did you call [bleep]?
329
00:20:42,158 --> 00:20:43,701
When she pled guilty.
330
00:20:55,463 --> 00:20:58,716
After I got the notice
from the Department of Justice,
331
00:20:59,217 --> 00:21:01,719
{\an8}I let Amanda know, "Hey,
332
00:21:02,512 --> 00:21:05,723
{\an8}"I was just given this notice
that you faked cancer."
333
00:21:11,771 --> 00:21:13,147
It was all so surreal.
334
00:21:14,023 --> 00:21:16,275
{\an8}But, looking back...
335
00:21:17,986 --> 00:21:21,113
there are things that...
336
00:21:21,114 --> 00:21:23,366
...I wish I would have
paid attention to.
337
00:21:25,118 --> 00:21:29,706
I knew she was getting a port.
There were posts with pictures.
338
00:21:30,623 --> 00:21:34,627
I knew it was infected.
I saw the bandage on her chest.
339
00:21:35,294 --> 00:21:39,382
And then, there was never
any scar tissue.
340
00:21:40,133 --> 00:21:42,926
And looking back, I just think,
341
00:21:42,927 --> 00:21:44,971
"How could I have
dismissed that?"
342
00:21:48,307 --> 00:21:51,393
But the narrative
that she was dying,
343
00:21:51,394 --> 00:21:53,186
and a miracle
was just so much stronger
344
00:21:53,187 --> 00:21:55,481
than any doubt could have been.
345
00:22:04,615 --> 00:22:07,994
{\an8}So, once a criminal complaint
was filed on Amanda...
346
00:22:09,996 --> 00:22:12,331
she was charged with wire fraud.
347
00:22:14,584 --> 00:22:18,253
And she was charged
with a bankruptcy fraud charge.
348
00:22:18,254 --> 00:22:20,672
And it was basically, you know,
349
00:22:20,673 --> 00:22:22,674
false information
on a bankruptcy filing.
350
00:22:22,675 --> 00:22:24,302
And it was the fact that
351
00:22:25,219 --> 00:22:27,972
they submitted this filing
saying she had cancer,
352
00:22:28,765 --> 00:22:31,601
and the medical records
proved that she did not.
353
00:22:34,687 --> 00:22:36,773
Cory may not have been charged,
354
00:22:37,899 --> 00:22:41,444
{\an8}but it doesn't change the fact
that I think he knew all along.
355
00:22:44,363 --> 00:22:45,614
When you have
a husband and wife,
356
00:22:45,615 --> 00:22:47,407
there's a-- a privilege.
357
00:22:47,408 --> 00:22:50,369
And so, how could we prove
that Cory was part of it?
358
00:22:50,870 --> 00:22:52,621
The only person
who'd be able to show us
359
00:22:52,622 --> 00:22:53,831
would-- would have been Amanda.
360
00:22:59,420 --> 00:23:03,591
{\an8}Initially,
Amanda said she's not guilty.
361
00:23:05,802 --> 00:23:09,221
What I was told was that
Amanda didn't wanna plead
362
00:23:09,222 --> 00:23:11,224
to the bankruptcy fraud charge.
363
00:23:12,016 --> 00:23:16,520
But it's not uncommon,
uh, that when you plead,
364
00:23:16,521 --> 00:23:19,398
that if there are other charges,
some of them could be dropped.
365
00:23:21,901 --> 00:23:26,280
I attended
every single Zoom hearing.
366
00:23:26,614 --> 00:23:30,576
And it was on my calendar
as "Cancer Scam Zoom Party."
367
00:23:32,370 --> 00:23:34,872
There was
a lot of back-and-forth
368
00:23:35,414 --> 00:23:37,708
that prolonged
her pleading guilty.
369
00:23:41,963 --> 00:23:43,256
She pled guilty...
370
00:23:44,966 --> 00:23:47,260
and it was a relief
because the truth came out.
371
00:23:51,514 --> 00:23:54,308
So, I just felt
this satisfaction.
372
00:24:11,159 --> 00:24:14,578
{\an8}The sentencing hearing,
it was really, uh,
373
00:24:14,579 --> 00:24:17,414
{\an8}a wonderful day,
really, for justice.
374
00:24:17,415 --> 00:24:20,668
It was crowded.
375
00:24:22,003 --> 00:24:25,006
Amanda was there with Cory,
with her parents.
376
00:24:25,882 --> 00:24:30,553
There was a lot of people there
that had been scammed by Amanda.
377
00:24:32,013 --> 00:24:34,097
Her sentencing
was the very first time
378
00:24:34,098 --> 00:24:35,933
I had been in a courtroom.
379
00:24:37,476 --> 00:24:40,270
And I decided
to take the opportunity
380
00:24:40,271 --> 00:24:42,523
to give a impact statement.
381
00:24:51,365 --> 00:24:54,952
"Amanda,
I first met you in a church.
382
00:24:55,369 --> 00:24:58,038
"You were the poor,
young Christian woman,
383
00:24:58,039 --> 00:24:59,707
"fighting a battle undeserved.
384
00:24:59,957 --> 00:25:01,333
"I couldn't do much,
385
00:25:01,334 --> 00:25:03,377
"but I could
pour my blood out for you.
386
00:25:04,253 --> 00:25:05,837
{\an8}"As a lifelong atheist,
387
00:25:05,838 --> 00:25:07,965
{\an8}"the first time I prayed to God,
it was for you."
388
00:25:10,009 --> 00:25:11,010
And...
389
00:25:12,428 --> 00:25:16,349
she gave me a look,
as I read this to her.
390
00:25:17,558 --> 00:25:21,187
We were wearing masks,
but her eyes said...
391
00:25:23,189 --> 00:25:24,106
"I'm so sorry."
392
00:25:27,276 --> 00:25:32,573
And isn't it so true
of a narcissist that she wasn't?
393
00:25:35,743 --> 00:25:37,702
I wanted to make sure
the judge knew
394
00:25:37,703 --> 00:25:39,288
that she had done this before,
395
00:25:40,164 --> 00:25:42,666
and that she would
absolutely do this again,
396
00:25:42,667 --> 00:25:43,751
given the chance.
397
00:25:44,877 --> 00:25:45,962
"Your Honor,
398
00:25:46,295 --> 00:25:48,463
"two years before
she publicly claimed
399
00:25:48,464 --> 00:25:50,174
"to first be diagnosed,
400
00:25:50,591 --> 00:25:53,177
"she told me and my husband
that she had cancer.
401
00:25:54,053 --> 00:25:57,431
"They manipulated our emotions
to get what they wanted,
402
00:25:57,765 --> 00:25:59,350
"attention and money.
403
00:26:00,810 --> 00:26:01,935
"Years later, I learned that
404
00:26:01,936 --> 00:26:03,604
"Amanda and Cory
were at it again,
405
00:26:03,896 --> 00:26:05,648
"scamming on
an even larger scale."
406
00:26:07,858 --> 00:26:10,318
When I was up there,
I was shaking so bad
407
00:26:10,319 --> 00:26:13,029
{\an8}that my husband
was literally holding me tight
408
00:26:13,030 --> 00:26:15,408
{\an8}to stop me from shaking
so I could read the paper.
409
00:26:17,618 --> 00:26:20,329
"My daughter believed
that her stepmom was dying."
410
00:26:21,414 --> 00:26:22,664
"How Amanda Riley could do this
411
00:26:22,665 --> 00:26:25,041
"to a young girl
is beyond disgusting.
412
00:26:25,042 --> 00:26:26,043
"It's abusive."
413
00:26:27,336 --> 00:26:29,213
"This was truly a nightmare.
414
00:26:29,797 --> 00:26:31,090
"And it has never stopped."
415
00:26:33,592 --> 00:26:35,051
{\an8}I couldn't find the strength
416
00:26:35,052 --> 00:26:37,805
{\an8}to get up in that moment,
but I did write something.
417
00:26:39,598 --> 00:26:42,351
"Do you remember me, Amanda?
418
00:26:43,477 --> 00:26:45,688
"I was the little girl
with barely any hair.
419
00:26:48,232 --> 00:26:50,442
"You came over
and taught me how to dance.
420
00:26:50,443 --> 00:26:53,821
"I was dying.
You were my friend.
421
00:26:54,947 --> 00:26:56,490
"Do you remember me, Amanda?
422
00:26:56,782 --> 00:26:58,784
"I was the young woman.
423
00:26:59,869 --> 00:27:01,536
"A group of us cancer survivors
424
00:27:01,537 --> 00:27:04,332
"and yourself
stood out on the field.
425
00:27:04,832 --> 00:27:06,625
"You looked over to me,
and you smiled.
426
00:27:07,585 --> 00:27:08,835
"I can't help but wonder
427
00:27:08,836 --> 00:27:10,463
"what was going through
your mind.
428
00:27:10,963 --> 00:27:13,798
"While you have taken so much
from so many people,
429
00:27:13,799 --> 00:27:15,967
"you cannot take my strength.
430
00:27:15,968 --> 00:27:17,635
"I have been through a lot
431
00:27:17,636 --> 00:27:20,181
"and continue to heal
to this day,
432
00:27:20,765 --> 00:27:22,808
"but I am
a proud cancer survivor."
433
00:27:26,145 --> 00:27:27,730
She likely won't ever hear it.
434
00:27:28,397 --> 00:27:32,318
But putting everything down
on paper, um,
435
00:27:33,152 --> 00:27:35,529
felt very freeing.
436
00:27:38,491 --> 00:27:41,035
And then,
Amanda gave her statement.
437
00:27:45,122 --> 00:27:47,832
This is
the worst thing I've ever done
438
00:27:47,833 --> 00:27:50,461
and the worst mistake
I could have made.
439
00:27:50,753 --> 00:27:53,005
She didn't have any remorse.
440
00:27:53,339 --> 00:27:54,839
I have been dealing with...
441
00:27:54,840 --> 00:27:56,424
I remember her saying,
442
00:27:56,425 --> 00:27:58,552
"I'm so sorry
that this happened."
443
00:27:59,387 --> 00:28:01,388
You should be sorry
you did this,
444
00:28:01,389 --> 00:28:03,099
that you hurt these people.
445
00:28:03,933 --> 00:28:05,350
She didn't care.
446
00:28:05,351 --> 00:28:08,061
She... She was sorry
that she got caught.
447
00:28:08,062 --> 00:28:10,230
I'm here
to accept responsibility...
448
00:28:10,231 --> 00:28:12,232
She never admitted
to faking cancer
449
00:28:12,233 --> 00:28:13,484
in her statement.
450
00:28:14,360 --> 00:28:15,652
She was more worried
451
00:28:15,653 --> 00:28:17,780
about herself and how much time
she was gonna do.
452
00:28:20,741 --> 00:28:23,827
Eighteen months
was the recommended sentence,
453
00:28:23,828 --> 00:28:25,955
and I certainly didn't think
that was enough.
454
00:28:27,790 --> 00:28:29,208
And neither did the judge.
455
00:28:31,710 --> 00:28:32,962
When the judge spoke...
456
00:28:34,588 --> 00:28:36,757
the whole courtroom gasped.
457
00:28:50,396 --> 00:28:51,439
The judge really...
458
00:28:52,648 --> 00:28:54,608
{\an8}really understood
what this case was about.
459
00:28:58,112 --> 00:29:01,323
And how dangerous
someone like Amanda could be.
460
00:29:11,250 --> 00:29:13,501
This is part of the statement
that the judge gave
461
00:29:13,502 --> 00:29:15,337
during Amanda's sentencing.
462
00:29:17,673 --> 00:29:20,300
"In considering the seriousness
of the crime,
463
00:29:20,301 --> 00:29:22,970
"there is no doubt
this is a very serious crime.
464
00:29:23,471 --> 00:29:25,847
"I have to further consider
public safety
465
00:29:25,848 --> 00:29:27,600
"and the need for deterrence.
466
00:29:28,851 --> 00:29:32,312
"I do find the public to be at
a significant risk from you.
467
00:29:32,313 --> 00:29:34,356
"I do believe
that this will happen again.
468
00:29:37,109 --> 00:29:39,027
"I will impose
an upward variance
469
00:29:39,028 --> 00:29:40,612
"of the guideline sentence,
470
00:29:40,613 --> 00:29:42,907
"and I will sentence you
to 60 months in prison."
471
00:29:53,125 --> 00:29:54,460
We were stunned.
472
00:29:55,753 --> 00:29:58,254
And you're quickly
calculating...
473
00:29:58,255 --> 00:30:00,758
...what that meant.
That meant five years.
474
00:30:02,718 --> 00:30:05,970
The judge also ordered Amanda
to pay restitution,
475
00:30:05,971 --> 00:30:07,598
which I think is fantastic.
476
00:30:09,558 --> 00:30:11,559
One of the things
that really struck me
477
00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:13,145
that the judge said was...
478
00:30:14,396 --> 00:30:17,733
{\an8}that she was giving her
a stiff sentence
479
00:30:18,234 --> 00:30:20,694
because she was gonna
do it again.
480
00:30:21,487 --> 00:30:23,489
If she didn't have
a stiff sentence,
481
00:30:24,073 --> 00:30:25,533
she would do it again.
482
00:30:34,792 --> 00:30:36,751
After Amanda was sentenced,
483
00:30:36,752 --> 00:30:39,880
I really wanted to try
and approach her.
484
00:30:40,214 --> 00:30:42,091
And I waited
for everybody to leave.
485
00:30:44,218 --> 00:30:46,387
And then Amanda did come out
with her lawyer.
486
00:30:47,638 --> 00:30:50,265
So, I followed them...
487
00:30:50,266 --> 00:30:51,934
around the side
of the courtroom.
488
00:30:53,060 --> 00:30:56,104
Amanda, sorry to disturb you.
Um, I'm Charlie.
489
00:30:56,105 --> 00:30:57,523
I just wanted
to give you my card.
490
00:30:58,190 --> 00:31:01,484
And she took my card, and then,
491
00:31:01,485 --> 00:31:03,695
I didn't give her a chance
to speak.
492
00:31:03,696 --> 00:31:05,363
She kind of like went,
"Oh, thank you."
493
00:31:05,364 --> 00:31:06,448
And then, I walked off.
494
00:31:08,117 --> 00:31:09,367
Later that night,
495
00:31:09,368 --> 00:31:12,120
I got a text message
from Amanda.
496
00:31:16,458 --> 00:31:19,461
"Hi, Charlie, thank you
for reaching out to me
497
00:31:20,671 --> 00:31:22,380
"in the way that you did.
498
00:31:22,381 --> 00:31:25,342
"You were kind,
polite and courteous."
499
00:31:27,886 --> 00:31:29,388
And then she said to me,
500
00:31:30,472 --> 00:31:33,434
"Let me know
if you want to talk."
501
00:31:34,268 --> 00:31:35,768
So, I replied.
502
00:31:35,769 --> 00:31:38,606
And then, that's when we started
to build a relationship.
503
00:31:40,357 --> 00:31:44,736
This went on
from September 2022,
504
00:31:44,737 --> 00:31:46,946
right through to the day
that I released the podcast,
505
00:31:46,947 --> 00:31:48,824
which was May 2023.
506
00:31:51,619 --> 00:31:54,163
Hey, Scamanda listeners,
it's Charlie here.
507
00:31:55,497 --> 00:31:58,041
Amanda couldn't listen
to the podcast in prison,
508
00:31:58,042 --> 00:32:00,293
but Cory and her mum listened
509
00:32:00,294 --> 00:32:02,420
and told her
that I was objective
510
00:32:02,421 --> 00:32:04,256
in the way
that I told the story.
511
00:32:09,178 --> 00:32:10,512
I was happy to hear that.
512
00:32:10,888 --> 00:32:12,305
And I've been building
that trust,
513
00:32:12,306 --> 00:32:15,100
hoping that she'll decide to put
more of her story out there.
514
00:32:28,155 --> 00:32:30,990
All right.
515
00:32:30,991 --> 00:32:33,993
I'm just waiting
to do a video call
516
00:32:33,994 --> 00:32:35,453
with Amanda in prison.
517
00:32:35,454 --> 00:32:37,414
And I've got
three minutes to go.
518
00:32:40,376 --> 00:32:44,671
She's agreed to speak to me,
but for it not to be recorded.
519
00:32:44,672 --> 00:32:47,507
So, I'm gonna go and have
a conversation with her,
520
00:32:47,508 --> 00:32:51,261
and then I will report back,
see what she says.
521
00:33:02,106 --> 00:33:03,315
Let's just wait.
522
00:33:07,319 --> 00:33:08,654
Hi, Amanda.
523
00:33:24,461 --> 00:33:26,170
{\an8} Gosh, I don't even know
where to start.
524
00:33:26,171 --> 00:33:28,631
{\an8}So, we had
a 25-minute conversation.
525
00:33:28,632 --> 00:33:32,261
She told me that, um,
Cory and her are divorcing.
526
00:33:34,763 --> 00:33:37,641
We talked about Cory.
527
00:33:38,726 --> 00:33:42,228
Amanda said that
a lot of the money that she, um,
528
00:33:42,229 --> 00:33:45,273
raised through
saying she had cancer
529
00:33:45,274 --> 00:33:49,235
actually was spent
on Cory's divorce to Aletta
530
00:33:49,236 --> 00:33:53,073
and child custody,
and child support for Jessa.
531
00:33:55,784 --> 00:33:59,120
Amanda got really upset
at one point in the conversation
532
00:33:59,121 --> 00:34:00,038
about her children.
533
00:34:01,540 --> 00:34:03,000
It seemed very genuine.
534
00:34:04,334 --> 00:34:08,130
She was really crying
and very, very upset, sobbing.
535
00:34:09,131 --> 00:34:10,339
She said she is sorry
536
00:34:10,340 --> 00:34:13,135
and she does wanna
take accountability, and...
537
00:34:13,552 --> 00:34:15,428
But she...
It-- You know, she looked well.
538
00:34:15,429 --> 00:34:17,263
That was one thing
that surprised me.
539
00:34:17,264 --> 00:34:19,515
She looks well. And she is st--
540
00:34:19,516 --> 00:34:21,852
still saying that
she's got health problems.
541
00:34:22,686 --> 00:34:25,062
I honestly don't know...
542
00:34:25,063 --> 00:34:27,357
...um, what I think about that.
543
00:34:29,610 --> 00:34:31,527
I don't know. I d-- I don't...
544
00:34:31,528 --> 00:34:34,156
I honestly don't know
whether that's true or not.
545
00:34:39,620 --> 00:34:42,997
{\an8}When you're the victim
of a con or a scam,
546
00:34:42,998 --> 00:34:44,207
{\an8}or someone lying to you, like,
547
00:34:44,208 --> 00:34:46,459
{\an8}you feel like
you should have seen it.
548
00:34:46,460 --> 00:34:48,962
You should have recognized it,
549
00:34:49,296 --> 00:34:54,467
and it makes you feel
less terribly, um,
550
00:34:54,468 --> 00:34:57,179
when there were other people
that went through it as well.
551
00:34:59,014 --> 00:35:00,766
What you are about to hear
552
00:35:01,058 --> 00:35:02,392
is a true story.
553
00:35:03,352 --> 00:35:05,938
Doing the podcast,
it was a great experience.
554
00:35:06,980 --> 00:35:10,566
{\an8}I knew that the story
was going to resonate
555
00:35:10,567 --> 00:35:12,152
{\an8}with a lot of people.
556
00:35:12,736 --> 00:35:16,782
But I was really shocked
at the response that we got.
557
00:35:18,242 --> 00:35:19,451
{\an8}- Scamanda.
- Scamanda.
558
00:35:19,827 --> 00:35:21,203
{\an8}-Scamanda.
- Scamanda.
559
00:35:21,578 --> 00:35:23,747
People were talking about it
all over the news,
560
00:35:24,414 --> 00:35:27,626
over social media,
posting about it.
561
00:35:28,043 --> 00:35:30,878
{\an8}Amanda has a huge problem.
She's a liar.
562
00:35:30,879 --> 00:35:32,464
{\an8}Who would do something
like this?
563
00:35:32,840 --> 00:35:35,007
The story
is completely unhinged.
564
00:35:37,094 --> 00:35:39,178
And it was
such a great feeling to know,
565
00:35:39,179 --> 00:35:41,472
"Okay,
this is resonating with people."
566
00:35:41,473 --> 00:35:44,184
And it was great to give a voice
567
00:35:44,768 --> 00:35:47,895
to so many of the people
I had been in contact with,
568
00:35:47,896 --> 00:35:49,231
over the years.
569
00:35:52,568 --> 00:35:55,028
Hearing all of these
other pieces,
570
00:35:55,612 --> 00:35:56,947
it made me not feel alone,
571
00:35:57,823 --> 00:35:59,992
because other people
had been affected as well.
572
00:36:01,368 --> 00:36:02,953
But I went through, like,
573
00:36:04,079 --> 00:36:06,456
more than a decade of history
with this family.
574
00:36:07,040 --> 00:36:08,291
I don't want to say
I always felt "Special,"
575
00:36:08,292 --> 00:36:10,377
but I felt like
I was owed an explanation.
576
00:36:11,503 --> 00:36:13,922
And I tried to go down
this rabbit hole.
577
00:36:14,423 --> 00:36:15,173
Okay.
578
00:36:19,428 --> 00:36:21,054
"May 4th, 2022."
579
00:36:23,015 --> 00:36:24,932
{\an8}Which was after the sentencing.
580
00:36:24,933 --> 00:36:27,560
{\an8} I just sent the text,
"Amanda, I'm so sorry
581
00:36:27,561 --> 00:36:29,354
{\an8}"for what you and your family
are going through."
582
00:36:30,981 --> 00:36:32,523
Then she said,
"This really means a lot.
583
00:36:32,524 --> 00:36:35,193
"I do want to talk to you,
now that I can and explain."
584
00:36:37,070 --> 00:36:39,614
And, um,
she wrote this one to me
585
00:36:39,615 --> 00:36:43,452
a couple of days before
she was... Went to jail.
586
00:36:45,203 --> 00:36:46,746
"Hi, Rebecca,
how are you doing?
587
00:36:46,747 --> 00:36:48,623
"I'm really sorry it took me
so long to get back to you.
588
00:36:48,624 --> 00:36:50,249
"I'm struggling
and I honestly don't know
589
00:36:50,250 --> 00:36:51,627
"where to start
or even what to say."
590
00:36:56,673 --> 00:36:58,467
I still don't believe her.
591
00:36:59,051 --> 00:37:00,593
At this point,
592
00:37:00,594 --> 00:37:04,264
there's no possibility
of her recovering my trust.
593
00:37:06,016 --> 00:37:08,560
Because how can you,
594
00:37:09,144 --> 00:37:10,812
when you've been lied to
for years and years?
595
00:37:11,647 --> 00:37:13,356
At this point,
I can't believe anything
596
00:37:13,357 --> 00:37:16,068
that comes out of either Peggy
or Amanda's mouth.
597
00:37:17,903 --> 00:37:19,988
Because Peggy emailed me
as well.
598
00:37:26,161 --> 00:37:27,036
"She finally came clean
599
00:37:27,037 --> 00:37:28,872
"with the family last September,
600
00:37:29,456 --> 00:37:31,165
"and I've never felt
so betrayed and stupid
601
00:37:31,166 --> 00:37:32,542
"that I didn't
recognize it sooner."
602
00:37:35,754 --> 00:37:38,089
She had made all these claims
that she'd been
603
00:37:38,090 --> 00:37:40,092
to doctor's appointments
for years.
604
00:37:40,467 --> 00:37:44,470
And that did not add up
with the fact that she said
605
00:37:44,471 --> 00:37:47,057
that she just found out
in September.
606
00:37:50,310 --> 00:37:54,022
I felt so targeted
by both Peggy and Amanda.
607
00:37:56,525 --> 00:37:58,777
And I don't know
that we'll ever know the truth.
608
00:37:59,319 --> 00:38:01,862
I don't know
if something happened
609
00:38:01,863 --> 00:38:03,823
in that household,
that created it.
610
00:38:03,824 --> 00:38:06,159
I don't know
if Amanda naturally...
611
00:38:07,619 --> 00:38:09,371
was looking for attention.
I don't know.
612
00:38:13,500 --> 00:38:16,043
I don't think
that Amanda sat down
613
00:38:16,044 --> 00:38:17,670
and masterminded this plan,
614
00:38:17,671 --> 00:38:19,839
but I did wonder
where she got the idea
615
00:38:19,840 --> 00:38:21,800
of lying about cancer from.
616
00:38:24,011 --> 00:38:25,428
Was it from Lisa,
617
00:38:25,429 --> 00:38:27,973
who had a friend
who fundraised for cancer?
618
00:38:28,765 --> 00:38:30,099
Or was it Jaymie?
619
00:38:30,100 --> 00:38:32,351
Amanda got very close to Jaymie
at the time
620
00:38:32,352 --> 00:38:34,187
that she was being treated
for cancer.
621
00:38:37,941 --> 00:38:40,693
{\an8}I'm going on almost 20 years
cancer-free.
622
00:38:42,446 --> 00:38:46,116
I don't know
that she got the idea
623
00:38:47,075 --> 00:38:50,412
to fake cancer
from my experience.
624
00:38:50,996 --> 00:38:53,415
I don't know what goes on
in that woman's head.
625
00:38:55,208 --> 00:38:58,794
I think Amanda and Cory
just wanted things
626
00:38:58,795 --> 00:39:00,130
to go their way.
627
00:39:00,630 --> 00:39:01,923
And they would do
628
00:39:02,591 --> 00:39:04,341
whatever they felt
they needed to do,
629
00:39:04,342 --> 00:39:08,512
wanted to do, to get their way.
630
00:39:08,513 --> 00:39:10,306
You have highly aggressive
blood cancer.
631
00:39:10,307 --> 00:39:11,891
It's metastasized to your lungs.
632
00:39:11,892 --> 00:39:13,392
My kids
weren't the only ones
633
00:39:13,393 --> 00:39:17,564
{\an8}that went through this.
She hurt tons of people.
634
00:39:18,648 --> 00:39:22,611
And I don't think
she's gonna come out reformed.
635
00:39:23,653 --> 00:39:24,404
I really don't.
636
00:39:27,407 --> 00:39:29,366
{\an8}She's full of crap.
637
00:39:29,367 --> 00:39:30,869
{\an8}And she'll always be
full of crap.
638
00:39:31,828 --> 00:39:34,748
She's smart enough
to be devious,
639
00:39:35,916 --> 00:39:37,334
and to another level.
640
00:39:38,126 --> 00:39:42,338
{\an8}And she knows
that it has effect on people,
641
00:39:42,339 --> 00:39:45,467
{\an8}how she looks,
how she carries herself.
642
00:39:46,676 --> 00:39:48,053
Because she's an actor,
643
00:39:49,012 --> 00:39:52,474
she's in that character 24/7.
She's still a victim.
644
00:39:53,850 --> 00:39:55,727
Somebody's done her wrong.
645
00:39:56,144 --> 00:39:57,479
I don't think
that's gonna change.
646
00:39:58,939 --> 00:40:00,189
I highly doubt
647
00:40:00,190 --> 00:40:02,525
she's gonna step out
of the prison gates and be like,
648
00:40:02,526 --> 00:40:05,737
"What good can I, you know,
bring into the world?"
649
00:40:06,113 --> 00:40:08,573
I'm sure she's got
something else lined up already.
650
00:40:09,491 --> 00:40:12,410
So, like,
what's the next level for her?
651
00:40:15,038 --> 00:40:17,833
{\an8} I've always lived
this battle so publicly.
652
00:40:18,250 --> 00:40:19,167
{\an8}I was like, "God," like,
653
00:40:20,460 --> 00:40:22,086
{\an8}"I don't wanna have
such a sad end to the story
654
00:40:22,087 --> 00:40:24,630
{\an8}"for everybody," you know?
But-- But it is.