AIDS speaker charged with feigning illness

updated 8:13 p.m. ET July 4, 2006

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - A woman who traveled the lecture circuit with her account of being raped and infected with AIDS as a child has been charged with defrauding the state of Pennsylvania of $66,000 by falsely claiming to have the disease.

Cassey Weierbach, 27, was arraigned Friday on charges of theft by deception, forgery, tampering with records and making false statements.

She has told her story for years to news reporters, churches, youth groups and medical conferences. But in June, The Morning Call newspaper of Allentown published a story in which a pastor accused Weierbach of duping her congregation.

Arrest records state that Weierbach used fabricated laboratory records to indicate she had AIDS so she could receive medical benefits in 2003.

She also provided false information in 2004 and 2005 to at least three area doctors, one of whom became suspicious after Weierbach refused AIDS medications, according to an affidavit.

Weierbach, free on $25,000 bail, did not have a listed telephone, and it was unclear whether she had a lawyer.

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