BELLEFONTE, Pa — The former Miss Pennsylvania U.S. International pageant winner who faked having cancer and scammed people out of thousands of dollars was sentenced to 2-4 years in prison. Brandi Weaver-Gates, 24, of Pleasant Gap, pled guilty last month. She must also repay the money she scammed from about 150 people who believed the former beauty queen when she said she was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in March 2013.
Weaver-Gates went so far as to shave her head and had relatives drive her to Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore for “treatments.” They would wait in the lobby for hours for her return, while she went to another part of the hospital.
Police said $30,000 was raised through numerous fundraisers for Weaver-Gates.
She told a judge in June the scam began because she was looking for more attention from her family.
