Pennsylvania Woman Accused of Faking Brain Cancer Lands on FBI Most Wanted List

A Pennsylvania woman accused of faking terminal brain cancer to fund a luxury getaway is on the FBI's Most Wanted list. The FBI said that it is still searching for her, and she has remained on the run since May 23, 2018.

The woman, identified as Vanessa O’Rourke, is on the FBI’s Most Wanted Fugitives list. O’Rourke is accused of faking cancer and collecting thousands of dollars in donations from friends, family, and supporters, which authorities said she used to sponsor her luxury getaways. Instead of receiving treatment, O’Rourke travelled to Australia, using the money she collected.

Authorities allege that O’Rourke, 37, spent months convincing loved ones she was dying from glioblastoma, an aggressive and often fatal form of brain cancer, while claiming she needed money for treatment, daily living expenses, and experimental medical care overseas.

According to the FBI, O’Rourke told supporters that traditional treatment options had failed and that traveling to Australia for an experimental procedure represented her best chance at survival.

Friends and family members reportedly rallied around her, donating money and organizing fundraisers to help what they believed was a young woman battling a terminal illness. Authorities said the cancer diagnosis was entirely fabricated.

Investigators allege that between October 2015 and July 2016, O’Rourke used false claims about her health to obtain financial support from people close to her. Prosecutors said supporters provided money directly to O’Rourke and also helped organize fundraising efforts to cover what they believed were mounting medical costs.

In April 2016, O’Rourke traveled to Australia, allegedly telling loved ones she was receiving experimental treatment unavailable in the United States. Instead, according to federal authorities, she spent the trip engaging in sightseeing and recreational activities and received no medical treatment whatsoever.

After returning to the United States, investigators said O’Rourke continued the alleged scam by encouraging friends and family members to organize additional fundraising events on her behalf.

Authorities said that a donation webpage was launched online and a fundraising benefit was held at a Pennsylvania restaurant, where supporters gathered to raise money for what they believed was O’Rourke’s ongoing cancer battle.

Investigators have alleged that money raised during those efforts was later used to fund another trip to Australia in 2016, where O’Rourke again allegedly participated in leisure activities instead of receiving treatment for the illness investigators say never existed.