FROM STAFF REPORTS

A Clemmons woman has been charged with pretending she had cancer in order to obtain money from an acquaintance following an investigation by the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Darren Campbell announced the arrest of Michelle Lynn Stultz, 46, in a news release on Thursday.

The ICSO received a report on August 27 from a woman who said she had given money to a female acquaintance whom she believed to be suffering from terminal cancer, Campbell said.

The victim reported on four different occasions that she gave Stultz approximately $975 after she was led to believe Stultz was suffering from financial hardships due to medical treatments related to cancer diagnosis, accordng to the news release.

The woman told deputies she confronted Stultz and asked for her money back when she learned Stultz was not suffering from cancer, Campbell said. Stultz stopped all communications with the woman after that, according to the news release.

The investigation was then assigned to Detective Justin Roberts, who works in the ICSO Economic Crimes Unit.

During the course of the investigation, information obtained using search warrants revealed that Stultz had solicited monetary donations fom other individuals and churches, Campbell said. Stultz also had created a GoFundMe page and led prospective donors to believe she was suffering from financial hardship after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, according to the news release.

As a results of the investigation, Detective Roberts obtained warrants charging Stultz with four counts of felony obtaining property by false pretense.

Stultz was arrested in Clemmons and transported to the Iredell County Detention Center. She was served with the warrants and the appeared before Magistrate Chambers, who issued a $5,000 secured bond.