Fraud victims claim suspect lied about cancer

When Erika Williams spun her stories, people listened " and opened their hearts and checkbooks.

The 33-year-old Gardnerville woman told acquaintances she was the victim of a violent sexual assault and battery as a high school student, and became pregnant with a daughter she surrendered to City of Refuge.

She claimed to have a fast-growing, virulent form of terminal cancer that laid waste to her body.

Williams told her friends she was terrified of a former boyfriend who vandalized her residence and she had sought a protection order.

Concerned friends responded to Williams with money, rides to radiation treatment, gifts, places to live, frequent flier miles, meals, and what she really craved " love and attention.

According to a criminal complaint filed by Douglas County District Attorney Mark Jackson, Williams' stories were a pack of elaborate lies.

Williams allegedly received nearly $4,000 in money, gifts, rent, and other items "while feigning cancer."

She was arrested Sept. 11 and is in Douglas County Jail on $10,000 cash bail charged with four counts of theft and one count of obtaining money by false pretenses, all felonies.

East Fork Justice of the Peace Jim EnEarl refused to lower her bail on Friday at her first court appearance.

"The state thinks you're one of the best con artists since that fella in 'Catch Me If You Can,'" EnEarl said.

Williams referred to herself as "a church-going person who doesn't drink or use drugs, and never took a puff on a cigarette."

"This is the first time I've ever done anything," she said before EnEarl stopped her from making any admission of guilt.

"The state thinks you've violated the trust of many people and damaged them," EnEarl said.

Williams said she worked for St. Mary's Hospice as a personal assistant and asked to be released because was concerned about two clients she cared for, one a quadriplegic and the other a paraplegic.

She said she was the only one "there for them" and they required daily care.

"I'm concerned about what 'being there' for her clients means," said Deputy District Attorney Eric Levin who opposed her request.

EnEarl told Williams she could bring up bail Sept. 17 when she appears for a hearing with her court-appointed attorney Tod Young. She said she couldn't afford to hire a lawyer.

Her alleged duplicity was brought to the attention of investigators in March by members of Relay for Life who became suspicious of her stories.

She became involved with the organization that raises funds for cancer research.

In August 2007, Williams began telling people she was suffering from lymphoma. She sought rides to fabricated doctors' appointments and radiation treatments, going so far as to shave her head, bandage herself and insert tubes in her nose.

Williams would send her volunteer drivers to facility waiting rooms and come back 45 minutes to an hour later, according to reports.

One woman said she went to a hospital cafeteria for a snack and found Williams having breakfast, but the defendant claimed she was buying food for the nurses so they would treat her first and give her a better chair.

Friends donated frequent flier miles and money so Williams could undergo treatment at the Mayo clinic in Rochester, Minn. She invented stories about her treatment, even the doctors who attended her.

It turned out that Williams was vacationing with relatives in Minnesota. A sister reportedly had pictures of her in a motel swimming pool with her niece and nephew, according to reports.

At one point, she told friends her doctor advised her to get rid of her cats because the litter box could hold a virus that could affect her chemotherapy. Devastated at the thought of losing her cats, a friend purchased a $200 self-cleaning litterbox. Others set up a schedule where they would go to Williams' apartment once a week and clean out the cat's litter.

Family members also confirmed that Williams allegedly lied about the high school assault, the baby and the violent boyfriend.

Williams reportedly told investigators she made up the stories because "I was so lonely" and had a "messed-up childhood."

She said she craved attention and missed the sympathy she received several years ago when she had shoulder surgery.

At one point in the investigation, she told an acquaintance, "It's not like I robbed a bank," according to reports.