German mother accused of raising €358,000 with forged cancer diagnosis for son

A German mother allegedly turned her son’s harmless skin condition into a fictitious cancer diagnosis and used it to collect at least €358,000 in donations.

The case is being heard by the Regional Court in Giessen. Prosecutors say the boy, who was five in January 2021, was admitted to the University Hospital of Marburg with a skin abnormality. Doctors found that it was harmless.

The mother then took him to a hospital in Switzerland, where she allegedly forged a medical report using the clinic’s letterhead. The document described a “serious case of skin cancer,” according to the indictment.

The woman allegedly used the claim to obtain large sums at charity events over several years. Prosecutors also say she persuaded her husband and the child’s school that the boy was ill. The child himself reportedly believed he had cancer and little time to live.

The defendant, now 42, faces 13 charges, including fraud and forgery. At the opening of the proceedings, her lawyer read a written confession in which she admitted all the charges. The child has remained in the care of social services since the investigation began, while proceedings over his guardianship continue. Initial charges against the father were dropped for lack of evidence.