Bucks County 'con artist' sentenced for faking cancer, stealing thousands from elderly victims
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BENSALEM, Pa. - A woman has been ordered to serve prison time and pay thousands back to her victims after a series of crimes deemed "despicable and unfathomable" by a Bucks County judge.
Shannon Lynn Eberhart, a 48-year-old caretaker, appeared in court Wednesday for stealing thousands of dollars in money and heirloom jewelry from the families of two elderly women.
She then claimed to have stage 4 esophageal cancer to delay her trial, submitting fake medical documents a month prior, according to officials.
"You are nothing but a con artist who deceived the people who cared for you," Judge Gary B. Gilman said as he challenged her tears in court. "You betrayed every cancer patient, you betrayed the court system, you betrayed your attorney."
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Eberhart was sentenced to one year minus a day to two years minus a day in the Bucks County Correctional Facility, followed by a consecutive sentence of 11 years of probation.
She was also ordered to pay $32,835 in restitution to three victims, whose families delivered impact statements during her hearing.
"Shannon’s actions here are unforgivable," one of the victims said. "These pieces of jewelry tell stories of my family, past and present, and can never be replaced."