HILLSDALE, N.J.–A Township of Washington man was arrested on Thursday, Oct. 12 for soliciting donations by pretending to have cancer, borough police announced.
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Joseph O’Connell, 29 and unemployed, “claimed to be ill” and received donations to “help him in his fight against a cancerous brain tumor,” according to the Hillsdale Police Department.
In early October, the Hillsdale Police Department said it got a tip that O’Connell was receiving donations and “the tip questioned the veracity of O’Connell’s illness and the legitimacy of his need for donations.”
Subsequent investigations revealed that O’Connell was not ill, and he was soliciting donations and food for personal use, according to police.
O’Connell was arrested and charged with one count of theft by deception, a fourth-degree crime. He was released from the Hillsdale Police Department with a complaint summons, and has a scheduled appearance at Bergen Central Judicial Processing Court for Wednesday, Nov. 1.
A Facebook post from O’Connell on Oct. 2 shows him “checking into” Hackensack University Medical Center’s John Theurer Cancer Center.
A Meal Train website fundraiser was also set up for O’Connell online, which helps organize donated meals for someone fighting an illness or who is otherwise unable to cook. The page has since been taken down.
The Hillsdale Police Department asks anyone who donated to O’Connell to contact Detective Sgt. Adam Hampton at (201) 497-1537 or AHampton@hillsdalepolice.com.
–Pascack Press Staff Report
I appreciate anything anyone could do it's been a rough few weeks but trying to keep my chin up https://t.co/jxVflqDqmz
— Joe OConnell (@joeyoc88) September 20, 2017