LAKEWOOD, Colo. - A grand jury has indicted a 31-year-old Highlands Ranch woman on several counts after prosecutors say she faked having cancer to collect donations.
Ann Crall faces charge of theft, charitable fraud and forgery for allegedly taking almost $60,000 from unsuspecting donors.
According to the indictment, Crall began telling people that she had been diagnosed with cancer in the fall of 2005 and that she was beginning treatment.
Prosecutors say there is no evidence she ever had cancer.
Over the next four years, Crall convinced friends, neighbors, church members and many of her husband's co-workers to donate money, time and food, the indictment says.
Her husband works for the Lakewood Police Department.
The Lakewood Police Department charity also helped Crall with money to fix her car, but some people raised red flags about her and the organization asked her for a doctor's note. According to the indictment, that note was forged.
"Some of the people were noticing physical characteristics of someone suffering from cancer were inconsistent, so we just asked for some documentation, which we try to do to safeguard the foundation's money," said Sgt. John Moore, past president of the Lakewood Police Department Employee Assistance Foundation.
Moore believes one third to one half of the police department's employees donated some money to Crall, including himself.
"It was frustrating, something a little concerning, that someone would do that," he said.
The Jefferson County District Attorney says numerous fundraising efforts were initiated between January 2006 and December 2008 with the proceeds deposited directly into the Crall's bank account.
She's also accused of forging a document from the Colorado Rocky Mountain Cancer Clinic saying that she had been treated for cancer.
Crall was arrested in Douglas County on August 30. She was being held on $25,000 bond.
Ann Crall faces charge of theft, charitable fraud and forgery for allegedly taking almost $60,000 from unsuspecting donors.
According to the indictment, Crall began telling people that she had been diagnosed with cancer in the fall of 2005 and that she was beginning treatment.
Prosecutors say there is no evidence she ever had cancer.
Over the next four years, Crall convinced friends, neighbors, church members and many of her husband's co-workers to donate money, time and food, the indictment says.
Her husband works for the Lakewood Police Department.
The Lakewood Police Department charity also helped Crall with money to fix her car, but some people raised red flags about her and the organization asked her for a doctor's note. According to the indictment, that note was forged.
"Some of the people were noticing physical characteristics of someone suffering from cancer were inconsistent, so we just asked for some documentation, which we try to do to safeguard the foundation's money," said Sgt. John Moore, past president of the Lakewood Police Department Employee Assistance Foundation.
Moore believes one third to one half of the police department's employees donated some money to Crall, including himself.
"It was frustrating, something a little concerning, that someone would do that," he said.
The Jefferson County District Attorney says numerous fundraising efforts were initiated between January 2006 and December 2008 with the proceeds deposited directly into the Crall's bank account.
She's also accused of forging a document from the Colorado Rocky Mountain Cancer Clinic saying that she had been treated for cancer.
Crall was arrested in Douglas County on August 30. She was being held on $25,000 bond.
