- The hit podcast "Scamanda" focuses on Amanda C. Riley's cancer scam.
- Amanda is currently serving 60 months in a federal prison in Texas on fraud-related charges.
- She has two sons with husband Cory Riley. Here's where he is today.
The hit Lionsgate Sound podcast "Scamanda" focuses on the story of Amanda C. Riley, who used her now-archived blog, "Lymphoma Can Suck It," to chronicle her experience after supposedly being diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in her late 20s. She publicized her story online from 2012 to 2019 in order to raise awareness and funds to help pay for treatment of the aggressive form of cancer.
The only problem? She didn't actually have cancer.
According to a criminal complaint filed by Internal Revenue Service special agent Arlette Lee in July 2020, Riley used the ruse of the illness to bilk people out of more than $100,000.
Amanda pled guilty to wire fraud charges in October 2021, and was sentenced to five years in a federal prison in May 2022. She also must pay $105,513 in restitution.
She's currently incarcerated at FMC Carswell, a federal prison in Ft. Worth, Texas, that houses prisoners at all security levels and specializes in assisting prisoners with mental and physical health needs.
Riley conned 349 people into donating her money over the seven years she perpetuated her scheme. She also convinced public figures like LeAnn Rimes that she was ill.
As of October 2023, no one else has been charged with crimes related to their involvement in Amanda's scheme. However, according to the "Scamanda" podcast, close family members helped her set up websites to acquire donations and contributed posts to her blog. Whether any of them knew Amanda did not actually have cancer or if they truly believed she was ill is unclear.
While Amanda's fake cancer scheme was in full force, her husband Cory Riley was simultaneously battling his ex-wife Aletta Riley in court for custody of their daughter, Jessa. Per the podcast, he cited his wife's supposed diagnosis and medical expenses to try and win custody of Jessa and get his child support payments lowered.
Here's everything we know about Cory Riley's life today.
Where is Amanda C. Riley's husband Cory Riley today?
Per "Scamanda," Cory and Amanda met when Amanda was a 17-year-old cheerleading coach hired to instruct one of Cory's then-wife Aletta's daughters (who actually had cancer) how to dance. Per the podcast, Cory was about 29 years old at the time.
Cory and Aletta eventually divorced, and he married Amanda a few years later. The couple had two sons together, Carter and Connor, who Amanda would proclaim were "miracles," since she claimed she shouldn't have been able to deliver a healthy baby while undergoing cancer treatment.
Though the family lived in the Bay Area outside of San Jose for most of the time Amanda was writing her cancer blog, they moved to Texas after Amanda lost her job as principal at Pacific Point Christian School in Gilroy, California.
As for where Cory is now, "Scamanda" podcast host Charlie Webster offered a brief update to Glamour.
"He is looking after his two kids in Texas, where Amanda is serving her sentence," she said.
Cory doesn't have a public social media presence, so it's difficult to verify any additional details about his life today. When asked by Glamour for her personal opinion on if Cory knew his wife was faking cancer, Webster gave a cryptic answer. (Cory never faced any charges in connection with his wife's scheme.)
"If you listen carefully to the podcast — and there's four bonus episodes on their way after the final episode — if you listen very carefully to the nuances of what was said, it will give you the answer," she told Glamour. "People are smart. I was really careful to make sure that I stuck to the facts but also showed you the facts so you can decide."
"Scamanda" is available to stream in full now.
