Pa. woman who faked cancer to avoid jail sentenced

[March 09, 2012]  PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- A Philadelphia woman who faked having cancer to avoid reporting to prison has been ordered to spend nearly five years behind bars for obstruction and fraud committed during her medical scam.

LeAnn Moock was sentenced Thursday by a federal judge in Philadelphia. She pleaded guilty in November to charges including obstruction and aggravated identity theft involving her father.

Authorities say Moock faked the illness to avoid a four-month sentence imposed in 2007 for stealing money from the bank accounts of elderly victims.

The Philadelphia Daily News (http://bit.ly/wizn0E) reports Moock ran the scam for three years, faking letters from doctors about treatments and giving a dire prognosis.

In that time authorities say she had a baby, underwent cosmetic surgery and obtained $56,000 in bank loans by stealing her father's personal information.

___

Information from: Philadelphia Daily News, http://www.philly.com/

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.