Police Search For Suspects In Theft Of Ailing 5-Year-Old Boy's Photo, Charity Scam
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police said Thursday that they are ramping up an investigation after a picture of a boy battling cancer was used to con people.
As CBS2's Dave Carlin reported, the Staten Island family said the couple used the boy's image to collect cash and keep it.
Gianni Incandela, 5, is full of life – despite fighting a rare brain cancer. He is unaware of the new battle that his Rossville, Staten Island family is now facing.
"I found out via emails from several strangers that I've never met before in different areas, around town in Brooklyn, that a woman had been going around collecting money for my grandson Gianni and claiming that he has passed away," said Dee Tirado, Gianni's grandmother.
Tirado told CBS2's Tracee Carrasco on Wednesday that she found out that a woman had taken the little boy's picture from his online GoFundMe page, and was telling his story to solicit donations – allegedly keeping the money for herself.
Gianni's' mother, Kelly Incandela, was hurt that someone would try to benefit from her son's illness.
"I ask myself that every day -- how did they pick my son to go around and be their profit?" she said.
And the ruse may have continued if the woman had not walked into Tirado's Park Slope office on Monday asking for money.
"I immediately confronted her, and said, 'You're the one who's been going around asking for money for my grandson,'" Tirado said.
Quick-thinking Tirado took a picture of the woman, her husband and her son, who is also used in the scam.
"I let them know, I'm taking your picture so that everyone in Brooklyn, Staten Island, Queens and anyone that I can reach, will know what you're doing," she said.
Natalia Fernandez said the same woman came into the auto repair shop where she works.
"My boss was here and we decided to give her some money, yes," Fernandez said.
When CBS2's Carlin pointed out that the boy's real family says it was all a scam, Fernandez said: "Oh wow, that's really disappointing. We tried to give a donation because we think we're doing something good."
CBS2 showed the photo to employees at a Brooklyn window repair shop, and they told CBS2 they did not want to go on camera. But they said they recognized the woman and child in the photo and gave them an $80 donation.
Gianni's family said the money collected fraudulently could be in the thousands of dollars.
CBS2 has learned police know who the people in the photo are and the investigation is ramping up.
Tirado created posters with the photo of Gianni that she herself took and is putting them up to warn generous people out there if they want to give to Gianni, they should not be fooled.
Since CBS2 first aired the story of the alleged fraud on Wednesday night, Gianni's family said donations have increased on the official GoFundMe site.
