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Nancy Moscatiello is the investigative journalist who uncovered the scam of Amanda Riley, a woman who faked a cancer diagnosis to deceive her friends and church community.
The journalist exposed Riley’s fraudulent scheme, which allowed Riley to collect more than $100,000 in donations, in addition to gifts and other physical contributions.
Moscatiello’s work is now featured in Scamanda, the new four-part documentary series by ABC and Hulu. Episode 2 premiered on ABC on February 6 and is now available for streaming on Hulu. The new docuseries is based on the hit podcast of the same name in 2023.
The case first emerged in June 2015 when Moscatiello received a tip suggesting that Riley was fabricating her illness. Moscatiello uncovered inconsistencies in Riley’s claims, and the investigation brought Riley to justice. She has since pleaded guilty to fraud in court.
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Scamanda episode 2 particularly sheds light on the journalist's probe to bring the scammer to justice. The next episode premieres February 13.
Read more: Scamanda episode 2: Release date, where to watch, and more
More about Nancy Moscatiello in Scamanda, the journalist who exposed Amanda Riley’s cancer scam
Nancy Moscatiello, an investigative journalist, spent five years examining Amanda Riley’s claims of battling blood cancer. Her investigation identified inconsistencies in Riley’s story, which she shared online to gain support.
Moscatiello contacted several hospitals to verify Riley’s treatment history. Medical professionals pointed out discrepancies between Riley’s blog posts and typical cancer treatment protocols.
According to TODAY's January 30 article, the victims shared testimonies during the proceedings that they regularly donated blood and platelets in Riley’s honor. They also recounted that Riley requested financial assistance from them and their husband to cover the cost of critical blood tests.
In June 2015, Moscatiello received a tip suggesting Riley had fabricated her illness. This led to her deeper investigation and uncovering details that raised doubts about Riley’s claims.
The findings eventually led to government involvement. Moscatiello’s work is now featured in Scamanda, a documentary by ABC and Hulu. Episode 2 goes deeper into the journalist’s work.
Read more: How many episodes will there be in Hulu's Scamanda? Episode count, release schedule, and more
How Nancy Moscatiello’s work helped the government in the fraud case?
Nancy Moscatiello, a producer for the Scamanda docuseries, brought Riley’s fraudulent cancer scheme to the attention of authorities. In September 2015, she shared her findings with a financial crimes detective, which led to the case being referred to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
According to Biography, an IRS special investigator charged Riley with wire fraud related to online donations in July 2020. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, 349 individuals and entities contributed a total of over $100,000 toward Riley’s alleged medical expenses. This amount did not include cash donations or in-kind gifts such as gift cards.
In October 2021, Riley pleaded guilty to wire fraud in federal court as part of a plea agreement. While the charge carried a potential sentence of up to 20 years, she was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to repay the total amount of the identified donations.
Read more: The astonishing true story behind Hulu's Scamanda, explained
Where is Nancy Moscatiello now?
Nancy Moscatiello is currently doing promotions and interviews for Scamanda, for which she serves as the executive producer, as seen on her Instagram account. Moscatiello is also the producer of the podcast of the same name.
With over 30 years of experience in true crime journalism, Moscatiello has received two Daytime Emmy nominations as a supervising producer for Crime Watch Daily, where she oversaw the newsroom and the production of crime stories.
Nancy Moscatiello began her career at Hard Copy, covering high-profile cases such as those of O.J. Simpson, Michael Jackson, and the Menendez Brothers.
Episodes 1 and 2 of Scamanda are now available to stream on Hulu. Episode 3 will be released on February 13, with the series set to run for a total of four episodes.
