Report: Parents faked son’s cancer diagnosis, used it to visit with Syracuse football team
By Adam Spencer
Published:
Back in August, 9-year-old CJ LaFrance got to visit the Syracuse football team and hang out with the Orange during practice.
Sadly, that visit was arranged because the young boy was allegedly battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Teams invite children like LaFrance to visit all the time, drawing inspiration from the way strong young children battle the horrific disease.
However, according to Syracuse.com, LaFrance wasn’t sick at all. According to the report, his parents, Martin and Jolene LaFrance, faked the whole thing, raising more than $3,000 on GoFundMe and getting to visit the Syracuse squad:
Deputies, acting on a tip, discovered that Martin and Jolene LaFrance solicited money under the guise that their son, CJ LaFrance, was battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma. After a four-month investigation, the sheriff’s office “conclusively” learned that CJ was never diagnosed with cancer or any other medical condition.
Investigators discovered that Martin and Jolene LaFrance received about $3,000 in donations via a GoFundMe page, which appears to have been deleted.
The LaFrances are going to appear in court on May 16 to be arraigned, per the report. They face charges of scheme to defraud and endangering the welfare of a child.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
