Brandi Lee Weaver-Gates, a Pennsylvania beauty queen, has been jailed on accusations of faking cancer in order to benefit from fundraisers, and now the young woman is facing charges and will have her title stripped.
Online court records show that the 23-year-old, of State College, was arraigned Tuesday on charges of theft by deception and receiving stolen property, The Associated Press reported. State police say an April bingo benefit raised $14,000 for the Miss Pennsylvania U.S. International pageant winner, who claimed she had leukemia. Troopers are asking the public to come forward if they have donated money to Weaver-Gates.
Butler's Beauties, the company that sponsors the pageant, says in a Facebook page statement that they were also "led to believe that she was dealing with this horrible disease" and are making her return her crown and sash.
Records don't list an attorney for Weaver-Gates, who faces a preliminary hearing Aug. 19.
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