Violinist jailed for conning more than £300,000 by pretending she was battling cancer
A VIOLINIST was jailed for conning more than £300,000 out of people by pretending she was battling cancer.
Bethan Doci was jailed at Swansea Crown Court
Musician Bethan Doci, 38, who plays with orchestras worldwide, lied about needing money to pay for treatment in an ad on the Craigslist website.
In fact donations, including the £170,000 life savings of one man, funded five-star holidays around the globe with her French boyfriend, expensive handbags and top-of-the-range cars.
Swansea Crown Court heard she was fit and well, earning £24,000 a year.
She conned people out of over £300,000 by pretending she needed money for cancer treatment
Doci, of Swansea, admitted 11 counts of fraud from 2010 to 2013.
Jailing her for 32 months, Judge Keith Thomas said: "You committed these offences in a callous and heartless manner, saying you were suffering from cancer and needed treatment which you couldn't afford.
"Colleagues of yours made collections on your behalf. You took the money but used it on a lavish lifestyle.
Doci spent the money on luxurious holidays
The donations also funded travels for her French boyfriend
“Your victims were devastated, especially Mr Donnelly who you treated particularly cruelly by taking all his life savings."
The court heard she had no assets left after spending all the money and was ordered to repay a nominal £1 in compensation.
Doci wept as she was led away.