Viewers appalled by new Disney+ series focusing on 'evil' influencer who faked cancer

TV viewers have been left appalled by a new Disney+ documentary series about an influencer who faked a cancer diagnosis and pocketed more than $100,000 in donations.

Scamanda tells the story of American woman Amanda C Riley, who told the world she had been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer, in 2012.

Although she was not actually ill, Riley carefully cultivated a social media presence using Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and a blog called Lymphoma Can Suck It.

Family, friends, her church's congregation and online followers sent her donations in support or to fund medical procedures which turned out to be fake.

In reality, Riley had never been diagnosed with cancer and had been using the funds to pay for her lifestyle. In May 2022, Amanda Christine Riley was sentenced in federal court to 60 months in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud in connection with a scheme to solicit donations from individuals to help her pay for cancer treatments she never needed nor received.

The four-part series, released on Disney+ on Friday (February 21), was adapted from a popular podcast by Charlie Webster.

Many viewers have flocked to social media platform X to share their views, with some calling Scamanda a "decent documentary" and "I can’t believe the lengths this evil woman went to".

One viewer said: "I’ve been watching Scamanda on Hulu and this lady PLAYED! Lied about having cancer, got millions of dollars from orgs and her own church!!

"She was playing in them folk CHURCH! Only got 5 years in prison which is insane"

Another said: "Scamanda has me beyond flabbergasted. Faking cancer for profit is one thing but what she did to her husband’s ex and their children is on another level sick. The pettiness from the tipster waiting years for the demise was truly iconic - she is so me in 30 years."

A third said: "I watched the documentary Scamanda which is about a woman who collected HUNDREDS of thousands of dollars by faking cancer.

"It’s amazing how someone could have that much time on their hands to pull a stunt like that. It’s unconscionable."

Scamanda was released weeks after Netflix released Apple Cider Vinegar about real-life influencer Belle Gibson, who also faked cancer.

In the show, Belle managed to fool people into believing her terminal brain cancer was reversed by changes made to her diet and through unorthodox therapies. The self-proclaimed wellness guru from Australia, profited off of her fictional brain tumour in real life as she scammed thousands into believing she had suffered through terminal cancer.

Netflix's six part series covers the journey of her rise to fame through her early use of Instagram and her mass following on socials resulting in a profitable book deal. It was later discovered that she had made up her illness and failed to donate money she promised to charity.

Scamanda is out on Disney Plus in the UK.