A Henderson mother who claimed she was fighting cancer has now admitted in court it was all a lie, part of a series of scams that left friends and acquaintances nearly $20,000 in the hole.
According to court documents, Haleigh Knight pleaded guilty to theft after admitting she faked a cancer diagnosis and ran multiple schemes that targeted people in her social circle. A judge has ordered her to repay nearly $20,000, and she is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26.
Victims say the cons ranged from influencer-style trip deposits that never turned into real vacations, to a needlepoint finishing service and supposed designer deals that never showed up on anyone’s doorstep. News 3 Las Vegas reports that Knight was charged with theft of more than $5,000 but less than $25,000, pleaded guilty and was ordered to repay nearly $20,000 to the people she swindled.
One victim, Rachel Riedel, told the station, "I think that she's a sociopath, I think that she will scam you if she can touch you." Another woman, Cydney Fink, who says she put down dozens of deposits for trips that never happened, said, "It goes deeper than just taking our money, and like offering these trips, she was sabotaging our lives." Both women told News 3 Las Vegas that Knight leaned heavily on social media and community groups, using them both to recruit people into her offers and to post fake treatment updates that hid what was really going on.
How the scams worked
Victims said Knight pitched influencer trips that required upfront deposits, sweetening the deal with promises of refunds and per-trip stipends that never arrived. She also promoted needlepoint finishing services in craft forums and advertised discounted designer items to influencers, then took the money without delivering any goods or completed work.
Sympathy-driven fundraising and online charity campaigns, including platforms like GoFundMe, are a common gateway for this sort of scheme. In 2023, there were nearly 10,000 reports of charitable solicitation fraud, according to the AARP.
Legal consequences
Court documents state that Knight admitted receiving donations through GoFundMe and pretending to be different people in order to keep the scams going. She was charged in the theft range of more than $5,000 but less than $25,000, which triggers felony-level treatment under Nevada law. Theft in the $5,000 to $25,000 bracket is classified as a felony and can bring prison time, fines and restitution requirements, as outlined in the Nevada Revised Statutes. Knight is set to learn her sentence on June 26.
How to report scams and protect yourself
If you believe you were targeted, experts say your first move should be to preserve evidence. Save digital receipts, bank records, screenshots and any messages tied to the transaction. Then file a police report with the Henderson Police Department. The city provides an online reporting portal for certain fraud and theft cases and offers local guidance for people who have been victimized.
Victims can also file consumer complaints with the Nevada Attorney General and report suspicious fundraisers directly to GoFundMe's Trust & Safety team. Online fraud can be reported to the Federal Trade Commission.
For Henderson's fraud reporting tools and local resources, visit the City of Henderson website. For statewide consumer help, guidance and complaint forms, see the Nevada Attorney General site. GoFundMe's help center explains how donors can flag questionable campaigns and what protections are available if something goes wrong.
