For many women, their wedding day is one of the most anticipated and important events of a lifetime. But for 25-year-old Jessica Vega her dream wedding may very likely end up getting her can tossed in the can.
The state attorney general’s office of New York announced on Tuesday that it has filed charges of fraud and grand larceny against Vega because she funded her wedding by lying about dying of leukemia. Attorney General Eric Schneiderman stated:
“By pretending to have a terminal illness, Vega inexcusably took advantage of the community’s hearts and minds, and profited off of their generosity. Our office will hold this individual accountable for fleecing the public through lies and deception.”
Back in 2010 Vega, who was living in Montgomery, New York, claimed that she had only a few months to live and her dying wish was to have a “dream wedding” to the father of her year-old daughter, Michael O’Connell. Her story touched the local community and donations poured in to help make this lying about dying woman’s dream come true.
An area newspaper launched her story and within the feature Vega even stated that she had planned to leave letters that her daughter could read after she died for important events in her life such as graduation and prom. It also included a supposed letter from a doctor which is now believed to be a forgery.
O’Connell began to suspect that Vega was faking it and indicated as much to the same local publication. They divorced but hooked up again together in Virginia and had a second child together. O’Connell said, “She’s a good mom. I want my kids to have their mother back.”
Among the donations were her wedding dress seen above, the wedding rings and a time-share vacation in Aruba.
