Police say woman faked cancer, bilked friend out of 50,000

MONROE-A New Milford, N.J., woman has been arrested on a charge of bilking a Monroe businessman out of $50,000 which he paid because he thought he was helping her pay for cancer treatment. According to state police in Monroe, Laura A. O'Reilly, 44, does not have cancer. O'Reilly was arrested Jan. 6 after a local businessman reported that she told him she had cancer, and then solicited money for chemotherapy and other medical treatments. She presented forged insurance statements and billing records to support her requests for money. The businessman, who was formerly involved in a relationship with the suspect, paid the woman approximately $50,000 over an eight-month period before discovering that O'Reilly did not have cancer. The Times Herald-Record identified the friend as 67-year-old Sam Banke. She was charged with one count of third-degree grand larceny and sent to the Orange County Jail in lieu of $7,500 bail following her arraignment before Town of Woodbury Justice Edward Kellman. State police said other charges related to the forged documents are pending further investigation.