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An Iraq War veteran started an online fundraiser earlier this month hoping to raise $4,000 for what was described as his final trip home before he succumbs of cancer.
But a California news station has uncovered that Kevin Fish, of Joshua Tree, had used a picture of an X-ray showing a patient suffering from bone cancer taken from a medical journal and presented it as his own on his GoFundMe account.
When confronted by a reporter from KESQ Monday, the retired Army Ranger insisted that the image used on the online fundraiser was taken with his cell phone during a medical examination, and that he was told by his doctor that it was his MRI showing cancer ravaging his body.
Lack of evidence: Fish could not produce any documentation showing his two-year battle with cancer
According to Fish, a native of Houma, Louisiana, he was diagnosed with terminal bone cancer in 2012, but during the Monday interview he was unable to produce any medical files proving that he has been battling the deadly disease for the past two years.
When pressed on that issue, Fish said that he does not keep his medical records at home.
On November 16, the veteran launched a GoFundMe account asking for $4,000 in donations so he could travel to his hometown in Louisiana to visit his family one last time.
By Monday, Fish had raised $1,650. While being interviewed by KESQ, the retired ranger erased his crowdfunding page, but according to GoFundMe.com, even with the account removed he still would be able to access the funds.
Wes Wilson, senior pastor at Sword of the Lord church where Fish is a member, said that he believes some members of the community may have donated money to help the veteran.
'It's going to sound terrible, but I hope he has cancer,' the clergyman said. ‘ I hope he really is sick. I hope the deception doesn't go so far and it doesn't go so deep that he doesn't have cancer at all.’
But a California news station has uncovered that Kevin Fish, of Joshua Tree, had used a picture of an X-ray showing a patient suffering from bone cancer taken from a medical journal and presented it as his own on his GoFundMe account.
When confronted by a reporter from KESQ Monday, the retired Army Ranger insisted that the image used on the online fundraiser was taken with his cell phone during a medical examination, and that he was told by his doctor that it was his MRI showing cancer ravaging his body.
Lack of evidence: Fish could not produce any documentation showing his two-year battle with cancer
According to Fish, a native of Houma, Louisiana, he was diagnosed with terminal bone cancer in 2012, but during the Monday interview he was unable to produce any medical files proving that he has been battling the deadly disease for the past two years.
When pressed on that issue, Fish said that he does not keep his medical records at home.
On November 16, the veteran launched a GoFundMe account asking for $4,000 in donations so he could travel to his hometown in Louisiana to visit his family one last time.
By Monday, Fish had raised $1,650. While being interviewed by KESQ, the retired ranger erased his crowdfunding page, but according to GoFundMe.com, even with the account removed he still would be able to access the funds.
Wes Wilson, senior pastor at Sword of the Lord church where Fish is a member, said that he believes some members of the community may have donated money to help the veteran.
'It's going to sound terrible, but I hope he has cancer,' the clergyman said. ‘ I hope he really is sick. I hope the deception doesn't go so far and it doesn't go so deep that he doesn't have cancer at all.’
