Report: Woman Admits To Cancer Scam, Says ADA

The 21-year-old woman that allegedly pretended to have bone and brain cancers to solicit over $10,000 at businesses across Long Island has admitted to the scam prosecutors say in a Newsday report.

Brittany Ozarowski, formerly of Selden and living out of a Medford motel until her April 1 arrest, faces 24 charges including grand larceny, forgery and scheme to defraud.

Assistant District Attorney Michelle Pitman is shown in a video on Newsday taken at First District Court in Central Islip describing the various charges.

"She was arrested at a local Stop and Shop where she was found soliciting donations from people who believed she had cancer," Pitman says in the video. "She gave a full written four-page confession, admitting that she does not have cancer."

A not guilty plea was entered by Ozarowski's defense attorney, George Duncan, and asked for a lower bail to be set of $5,000 that he says is a normal rate for these charges.

"I do recognize some bail is appropriate, I'm asking court to set appropriate bail according to the law, not emotion," Duncan says in the video.

Judge Fernando Camacho set the bail as $75,000 cash bail or $150,000 bond, reports Newsday.

Ozarowski does not speak during the video, and generally keeps her eyes pointed at the ground.

As previously reported, Ozarowski allegedly kept donation jars at 25 businesses across Long Island, and kept a brittanyozarowski.com website with Donate links which appears to be offline as of Friday morning. Ozarowski was arrested in front of the Sayville Stop & Shop according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's office, and several local residents who had donated to her alleged cause are angry over the information that has become available since the arrest. Sayville Patch found an Announcement posted onto its site related to the case that was allegedly written by Ozarowski's father, Thomas McDermott on Feb. 28. McDermott claims he was scammed by his daughter as well, say police.

Click here for Newsday's report and video from the court (subscription).

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