Good morning and happy Monday, kids! We’re starting the week off “right” with the story of yet another GoFundMe cancer scammer.
Indiana State Police released a statement Sunday regarding the arrest of 29-year-old Santana Banta, who is accused of fabricating terminal cancer and fleecing the public via a GoFundMe campaign. ISP took her into custody on September 29.
According to the agency’s press release, the investigation began at the beginning of September when a concerned citizen contacted the Indiana State Police. The tipster told ISP Banta made numerous claims of terminal cancer on social media. Banta claimed that she was being treated for her illness at James Graham Brown Cancer Center in Louisville, Kentucky.
Banta created a GoFundMe campaign — entitled simply Santana Marie Banta — to allegedly pay for her medical bills. ISP detectives soon determined that Banta did not have cancer and was scamming people out of money and then using the money for personal reasons.
Banta is charged with felony theft and misdemeanor deception and was incarcerated at the Switzerland County Jail.
Santana Marie Banta in her mugshot
We were unable to find a cached copy of the now-removed campaign, however we did find this little relic from a GoFundMe cache.
It also appears that she fooled her sister, who shared the campaign in a local sale group.
We commend the Indiana State Police for their investigation, and to the tipster who brought this to their attention.