Auburn woman arrested for bilking $400,000 in fake cancer scheme

A 51-year-old Auburn woman was arrested Monday on federal wire fraud charges for faking cancer and bilking more than $400,000 from an elderly Auburn resident who believed her story.

U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan says Julie Ann Dahlquist claimed to have cancer but no medical insurance or money for treatment. The victim wrote checks to Dahlquist for as much as $9,000 three times a month to pay for the non-existent treatment.

The federal indictment says the victim wrote 190 checks between May 2009 and September 2012 totaling over $400,000. Dahlquist allegedly used the money for gambling and other expenses.

Along with the wire fraud charge, Dahlquist is also charged with Social Security fraud for hiding the $400,000 she defrauded out of the victim to collect Supplemental Security Income benefits . She also failed to disclose another $100,000 in gambling winnings.

The indictment says that additional income would have disqualified her from collecting benefits. Dahlquist faces up to 20 years in prison for the wire fraud charge, and an additional five years for Social Security fraud.

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Auburn woman arrested for bilking $400,000 in fake cancer scheme