Vanessa O'Rourke, a Pennsylvania woman, began falsely claiming in 2015 that she had glioblastoma, a terminal brain cancer, to solicit money from family, friends, and supporters [1, 2]. At the time, she was a 28-year-old brain surgery student at Temple Medical School [1].
Between October 2015 and July 2016, O'Rourke collected $11,740 in donations from more than 140 people through online campaigns and fundraising events [1]. In April 2016, she traveled to Australia claiming she was seeking experimental treatment. Instead, she engaged in sightseeing and leisure activities, receiving no medical care [1, 2].
After returning to the U.S., O'Rourke persuaded her network to continue fundraising, including hosting a benefit at a Pennsylvania restaurant [1, 2]. The funds raised supported a second trip to Australia later in 2016, again with no treatment pursued [1, 2].
O'Rourke was indicted in May 2018 on 15 counts of wire fraud in a Pennsylvania court [1, 2]. Authorities issued an international arrest warrant after she fled, and she remains at large. Law enforcement believes she may be in Queensland, Australia [1, 2].
The FBI renewed its call for public help to locate O'Rourke on May 23, 2026. She is now 37 years old and continues to evade capture [2].
