Woman without cancer solicited donations for treatment

Lee Kryszeski

TROY - A woman from North Central was arrested Friday after soliciting donations to pay medical costs associated with treatments for breast Stage 3 breast cancer she didn't actually have.

Lee Kryszeski, 33, was arrested Friday at her home on Craigin Avenue after friends had been planning for a fundraiser for her to help pay for costs related to treating her breast cancer. When fundraisers discovered Kryszeski allegedly was not actually ill, they immediately contacted police.

The funds raised for Kryszeski included gift cards, cash and various other donations, but Troy Police Capt. John Cooney said the investigation was more focused on the scheme to defraud as opposed to how much money was stolen.

Cooney said Det. Mark Mason discovered there were 10 people tricked by Kryszeski with one of them being the most adversely effected and once she made a purchase with one of the gift cards, police were able to make an arrest.


Any money lost may be able to be recovered through the investigation, Cooney said.

Friends had been soliciting for donations since December, Cooney said, and once police were tipped off the woman had been lying to people about her illness he said it was investigated by the department for around a month.

Kryszeski paid a visit to Mason on Friday where she was arrested on the charge of first degree Scheme to defraud. She was arraigned and will be given a court date in future.

Andrew Beam may also be reached at 270-1294.