Amanda Riley's Fake Cancer Scam Explored in New Docuseries 'Scamanda'

The ABC and Hulu series examines the elaborate deception that defrauded hundreds of donors and led to Riley's five-year prison sentence.

Amanda Riley falsely claimed to have stage three Hodgkin’s lymphoma starting in 2012, using a blog to document her supposed cancer journey and solicit donations.
Riley's scheme raised over $100,000 from 349 donors, including friends, family, and members of her church community in San Jose, California.
She maintained her lie for years by shaving her head, falsifying medical records, and enlisting family to corroborate her story, while silencing skeptics with hostility.
An anonymous tip in 2015 led investigative producer Nancy Moscatiello to uncover the truth, resulting in Riley's 2022 guilty plea to wire fraud and a five-year prison sentence.
The four-part docuseries 'Scamanda,' based on a popular podcast, premiered on ABC on January 30, 2025, and is available for streaming on Hulu.