Newtown Woman Faked Cancer For Money, Must Pay Back $50K: Attorney General

A Newtown woman who claimed she had an incurable form of cancer and held local fundraisers to pay for medical bills wasn't actually ill and now must pay back nearly $50,000, the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office says.

Danielle Lenihan Kunkel, who in 2011 said she was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic lymphoma and had nearly $1 million in medical bills as a result, didn't actually have cancer, investigators with the Attorney General's office discovered.

Lenihan Kunkel has entered into an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance with the Attorney General's office, which includes restitution of $49,905.

Numerous fundraisers were held for Lenihan Kunkel, including an April 2, 2011 event at the Newtown Athletic Club that raised more than $36,600. The event included donations from local businesses for a silent auction, as well as dinner and dancing.

She also established a website, PayItForwardForDanielle.com, according to the Attorney General's office.

Also in 2011, Lenihan Kunkel said she had to travel to Germany for treatment for her illness. Sometime in the summer of that year, she returned home, telling her family and friends she had made a full recovery, investigators said.

Her attorney Ed Raleigh said Lenihan Kunkel has accepted responsibility for her actions and apologizes to all those affected.

As part of the agreement with the Attorney General's Office, Lenihan Kunkel is also not permitted to solicit donations on behalf of herself and any organization.