CALGARY - A man who faked having cancer and bilked his friends of $7,500 has been ordered to make a donation in that amount to the Canadian Cancer Society.
Kristopher Cook, 29, was also sentenced Thursday to six months in jail.
He told people he had a malignant tumour and that two fictitious sisters had died of cancer.
He set up a silent auction fundraiser that raised thousands of dollars.
The elaborate scheme also had Cook getting friends to give him a ride to the Tom Baker Cancer clinic for treatment.
The Crown says Cook's actions could cause the public to be skeptical and it might affect whether they donate to charities and hurts real victims of disease.
Those who were defrauded told court they didn't want their money back but wanted to see it donated to the cancer society.
Last year, Ashley Kirilow of Hamilton, Ont., pleaded guilty to fraud after admitting she raised $12,000 in donations by convincing people that she had cancer.
Kirilow was given a 15-month conditional sentence and was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service.
A Halifax woman convicted of embezzling almost $70,000 from her former employer was also caught lying about having cancer.
Sherri Dawn (Lee) George, 38, admitted lying to the court and her own lawyer about having cancer, saying she had initially concocted the story when she was feeling overwhelmed by her job at a spa.
