A New York man was arrested on Tuesday for lying about his 4-year-old son’s death by cancer for financial gain.
As reported by WWNY, Kaleb Stevens, 30, cheated his co-workers and boss at FineLine Constructors in Adams, New York, out of more than $1,500 by claiming his son had died of cancer.
Stevens Faked Breakdowns at Work, Said He Couldn’t Pay for His Son’s Funeral
An administrative assistant told police that in August, Stevens was having breakdowns at work which he claimed were due to his son’s death.
Stevens allegedly said that he could not cover his son’s funeral because he was recently scammed. In turn, his co-workers reportedly donated $1,070 to a GoFundMe page set up by Stevens, while his employer paid him $510 for 32.5 hours of bereavement.
Stevens allegedly told authorities that his son had stage 3 leukemia and passed away in the hospital on August 4. However, investigators determined that Stevens’ son is alive and healthy, according to WWNY. Police said he made up the story to gain sympathy and monetary donations.
Stevens’ boss provided the news outlet with a picture that Stevens allegedly sent him which depicts what he claimed were his son’s ashes. Police also alleged that two at least two people donated a total of $1,500 to Stevens after he claimed his son died.
Stevens Charged with Additional Counts of Fraud, Grand Larceny
Stevens was initially arrested in early October on charges of first-degree scheme to defraud and fourth-degree grand larceny. He was charged with additional counts of the same crime on Tuesday, according to the Watertown Daily Times. He was issued a ticket to appear in a Jefferson County court on November 16.
