A Geneseo woman accused of faking cancer had her case continued in court Thursday. Kristin Holzman was supposed to make an appearance in Henry County Court but her attorney, Jack Schwartz had to be hospitalized. Holzman hired Schwartz after she fired her previous attorney late last week.
Now, a former friend of Kristin's says she suspected from the beginning that Kristin never had cancer. The friend talked exclusively with News 8.
"I feel what she has done to my community of Geneseo is that of disgrace, it is my hope she gets the maximum sentence she deserves," said the friend.
"Wendy", as we'll call her, didn't want us to use her real name or show her face. Considering herself Kristin's best friend for the last five years, it was November 10, 2010 when Wendy says Kristin told her she had stage 4 brain stem glioma.
"She wasn't upset, she wasn't crying, she wasn't portraying the type of person that has two small children and just found out has a non-curable cancer, one you don't survive," said Wendy.
After receiving a complaint, Geneseo Police started investigating Kristin in May. It wasn't until August that she was arrested, accused of faking cancer.
"She's very good at telling stories and she does it in a way that makes you believe that she is telling the truth," said Wendy.
Charged with felony theft, prosecutors say Holzman stole more than $10,000 in money and favors from the Geneseo community after at least three benefits were held for her.
"She played on people's emotions in a time when people are hurting so bad and nobody can afford to do any extra giving right now," said Wendy.
Wendy says she always suspected the mother of two wasn't sick but she hoped, for the sake of Kristin's children, she wasn't lying, either.
"No child should ever have to believe that their parent has cancer and is dying," said Wendy who went on to say, "She put that thought in those children's heads, she made her children believe she was sick and dying and that is something that has to haunt these kids forever."
As Holzman heads to court next week, her former friend hopes to testify at her trial.
"I am a firm believer that Kristin Holzman is sick yes, but cancer is the least of her worries," said Wendy.
Holzman's next court date is set for September 23rd. She and her attorney are expected to continue the case on that day as well, in order to buy themselves more time.