People in San Jose still talk about it in hushed tones. It’s one of those stories that feels like a Lifetime movie, but the victims are very real, and the money—over $100,000 of it—is long gone. If you spent any time at Family Community Church or around the Pacific Point Christian Schools community between 2012 and 2019, you probably knew Amanda Riley. Or at least, you knew the version of her she wanted you to see: the "warrior" mother battling terminal Stage 3 Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
She was the "poster family" for the church. That’s how friends described Amanda and her husband, Cory. They were young, devout, and seemingly perfect, right up until the moment the FBI and IRS started knocking on doors.
The Blog That Fooled Everyone
Honestly, it started with a blog. Amanda launched "Lymphoma Can Suck It" (and later supportamanda.com) to document what she claimed was a harrowing journey through chemotherapy, clinical trials, and repeated relapses. She wasn't just some casual poster. She was prolific. She posted photos of herself in hospital beds with a shaved head. She spoke about "the battle of her life" and how she was fighting to stay alive for her two young sons.
The community at Family Community Church Amanda Riley called home didn't just pray; they opened their wallets.
- There were "Support Amanda" t-shirts.
- Benefit concerts were organized in her honor.
- A car wash raised thousands.
- People literally handed her cash in the church lobby.
But here is the kicker: Amanda Riley never had cancer. Not once.
While she was telling her followers about "terminal" diagnoses, she was actually working as a principal at Pacific Point Elementary School in Gilroy. She was living a double life that required an exhausting amount of maintenance. She forged physician letters. She created fake medical certifications. She even went as far as to shave her head regularly to mimic the effects of chemo.
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How the Scampana Fell Apart
You’ve gotta wonder how someone keeps a lie that big going for seven years. Seven years! Most people can’t keep a secret for a week.
It wasn't a sudden slip-up that caught her. It was a slow burn. An investigative producer named Nancy Moscatiello received an anonymous tip in 2015. Someone noticed things didn't add up. For instance, Amanda claimed to be receiving treatments at hospitals like Stanford and City of Hope, but she’d post photos that looked like they were taken in random clinics or even at home.
Moscatiello spent five years digging through the digital breadcrumbs. She contacted hospitals. She looked at the "medical records" Amanda posted online and noticed the fonts didn't match or the terminology was slightly off. When Amanda realized someone was onto her, she didn't back down. She doubled down. She actually sued Moscatiello for civil harassment to try and shut the investigation down.
Basically, it was a game of high-stakes chicken.
The Sentencing That Shocked the Room
By the time the IRS and the San Jose Police Department finished their investigation, they found 349 individual donors who had been defrauded. The total tally was $105,513.
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In 2021, Amanda Riley finally pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
Most people expected a light sentence. She had no prior record, after all. But U.S. District Court Judge Beth Labson Freeman wasn't having it. During the May 2022 sentencing, the judge handed down a 60-month prison term—five full years. The judge pointed out that Amanda hadn't just stolen money; she had stolen "the community’s trust" and exploited the "sanctity of the church."
As of early 2026, Amanda is nearing the end of her journey through the legal system. She was moved from a federal medical center in Texas to a halfway house (RRM Long Beach) with a scheduled release date in late 2025 or early 2026, depending on credits.
Does She Have Munchausen Syndrome?
This is where it gets really weird. Even behind bars, the behavior didn't stop.
During her first 18 months in custody, Riley was taken to the hospital by ambulance 24 times. She claimed everything from pulmonary embolisms to "sleep terrors." Prosecutors eventually argued—and medical professionals backed them up—that she was faking her symptoms in prison to try and get an early release.
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- Doctors caught her holding her breath during oxygen tests to lower her readings.
- She allegedly manipulated an infusion pump.
- She purposely "stressed her body" to create a rapid heart rate (tachycardia).
Multiple doctors who treated her in 2023 and 2024 suggested she might suffer from Munchausen syndrome (also known as factitious disorder). This is a psychological condition where someone fakes illness not just for money, but for the "nurturing" and attention that comes with being sick. It makes you realize that while the $105,000 was a lot of money, the "addiction" to being the center of a tragedy might have been the real motivator.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Church's Role
There’s a common misconception that the church was "in on it" or that they were just "naive."
That’s not really fair. Amanda was a master manipulator. She used the language of faith—calling herself a "ray of sunshine" and talking about her "trial from God"—to bypass people's natural skepticism. When someone you see every Sunday tells you they are dying, your first instinct isn't to ask for a biopsy report. It’s to help.
The fallout at Family Community Church was devastating. People felt foolish. They felt betrayed. Some people stopped giving to charity altogether because they couldn't trust where the money was going.
Actionable Insights: How to Protect Your Generosity
If there is a lesson to be learned from the "Scamanda" saga, it’s that "trust but verify" applies even in sacred spaces.
- Use Verified Platforms: If you are donating to a medical cause, platforms like GoFundMe have at least some level of fraud protection, though they aren't perfect.
- Direct Payments: If you really want to help someone with "medical bills," ask if you can pay the provider directly. A real patient won't mind; a scammer will make excuses.
- Check the Logic: If someone claims to have Stage 4 terminal cancer but never seems to lose their hair (unless they shave it) or never looks "sick" despite years of chemo, it’s okay to be quietly skeptical.
- Non-Profit Status: Donations to individuals aren't tax-deductible. If a "fundraiser" claims to be a 501(c)(3) but is just a personal blog, that's a massive red flag.
Amanda Riley was ordered to pay back every cent of the $105,513. However, as of recent court filings, she had paid back less than $1,000. For the victims in San Jose, the money is likely gone for good, leaving behind only the hard lessons of a community that cared too much for the wrong person.
Next Steps for You:
If you want to support a legitimate cancer cause without the risk of fraud, consider donating to established organizations like the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where financial transparency is audited and mandatory.