A Florida woman who allegedly faked a cancer diagnosis is accused of deceiving hundreds of donors into giving her more than $40,000 — and even convincing members of her community to cut her hair as part of the staged preparation for chemotherapy.
Maribeth Ellen Jones, 51, was arrested this week on grand theft charges after investigators said she misled 238 residents in the Naples area into believing she was battling cancer and solicited donations through fraudulent GoFundMe campaigns, according to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office.
Jones, a Bonita Springs resident, allegedly claimed from 2022 to 2024 that she was receiving cancer treatment and “went to great lengths to make her story believable,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
Authorities said Jones, who worked as an activities director in the community, portrayed her health as deteriorating and persuaded residents to cut her hair by telling them it was necessary before chemotherapy.
Moved by her claims, community members set up a GoFundMe campaign for Jones that was tied to her personal bank account, while others gave her cash and checks directly, investigators said.
Jones had also been listed as the beneficiary of two earlier GoFundMe pages that claimed she had cancer. Deputies allege she used the donated money to pay down personal debts.
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“This is an appalling case because it exploited the kindness and generosity of people who truly wanted to help someone they believed was fighting for her life,” Sheriff Kevin Rambosk said in a statement.
“If you lie to steal from the generosity of others in Collier County, we will arrest you and hold you accountable,” Rambosk added. “This type of scam not only hurts victims financially, it undermines trust in legitimate fundraisers for people who genuinely need help.”
Jones turned herself in at the Naples Jail Center after detectives obtained a warrant last week for her to be arrested on the second-degree felony charge.
Police urged residents to verify fundraisers through trusted family members and friends and do their homework before donating.
In a statement, a GoFundMe spokesperson said that all of the Jones’s fundraiser donors have been refunded.
“GoFundMe has zero tolerance for the misuse of our platform and anyone who seeks to take advantage of the generosity of others. We can confirm fundraisers organized on behalf of Maribeth Jones were removed from our platform, and her account was banned for any future fundraising,” a GoFundMe spokesperson told The Post.
“More than $41,000 was refunded to donors on the platform through GoFundMe’s Giving Guarantee, which offers a full refund in the rare case something isn’t right,” the spokesperson added.
