UPDATE: Details Emerge in Fake Brain Cancer Scam

A Wallingford man accused of faking having brain cancer and collecting more than $22,000 in fundraising donations, allegedly had people drive him to New York and wait in the car while he went in for “treatments” at a clinic and also shaved his head as part of the elaborate scam, according to the Meriden Record Journal.

The Record-Journal reports Tyler William Tomer, 29, of 56 North Orchard Street, first floor, in Wallingford, was arraigned on Thursday morning and the case was continued to March 3.

Wallingford Police arrested Tomer on Wednesday following a lengthy investigation.

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The Wallingford Police Department received a complaint on May 5, 2015 that Tomer was obtaining money from multiple benefits put on in his honor to pay for terminal brain cancer, which the caller stated he didn’t have, according to Sgt. Eric Fuller.

Fuller said the complaint was made public on Facebook and within days several other complaints were filed and a lengthy investigation was conducted by the detective division.

The investigation proved that the subject had collected thousands of dollars through various donations and benefits that took place not only in Connecticut but where he used to live in Kansas, as well, according to Fuller.

WFSB 3 reports Tomer allegedly took $22,000 from benefits including a golf tournament, a pasta dinner and GoFundMe pages after telling people he had a rare form of brain cancer that was stage 3.

Tomer, a former Sheehan baseball player, received $6,000 from a Sheehan pasta dinner, $6,835 from the GoFundMe account and more than $10,000 from the golf tournament, according to NBC Connecticut.

Members of the school’s baseball and basketball teams also wore Tomer’s jersey number on their sleeves in support of his fight against cancer.

Fuller said it was later determined that he didn’t have cancer as he claimed and the money was obtained by defrauding the community.

Tomer allegedly told police that he had owed money and the situation had gotten out of hand, according to NBC.

Tomer was charged with first-degree larceny and first-degree larceny by defrauding a public community.

Read more about Thursday’s court appearance at the Meriden Record-Journal here.

Wallingford Police Department photo