DAVENPORT, Iowa — The investigation continues after 19-year-old Maddie Russo from Bettendorf was arrested for allegedly scamming donors out of nearly $38,000 claiming she was diagnosed with cancer.
Eldridge Police Department arrested Russo on Monday, Jan. 23, reportedly while in class at St. Ambrose University. She was then taken to Scott County Jail where she posted a $10,000 dollar cash bond, shortly after being booked.
February 2022
Maddie Russo claimed she was diagnosed with stage 2 pancreatic cancer and acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and was told a football-sized tumor was wrapped around her spine. She posted a video on LinkedIn, explaining her story after the diagnosis.
What Happened After?
A GoFundMe page was created, titled "Maddie's Fight Against Pancreatic Cancer." It collected nearly $38,000 from more than 400 donors before it was shut down by the company.
GoFundMe released a statement Tuesday, stating:
"GoFundMe has a zero tolerance policy for misuse of our platform and cooperates with law enforcement investigations of those accused of wrongdoing. GoFundMe’s Giving Guarantee offers donors a full refund in the rare case when something isn’t right; this is the first and only donor protection guarantee in the fundraising industry. Donors can file a claim here: https://www.gofundme.com/contact/suggest/donor."
GoFundMe told News 8 Wednesday evening that Russo has been banned from the platform, not the organizer listed.
The Eldridge Police Department requests that any people or businesses that have donated to Russo contact them at (563)285-3916 or email the Eldridge Police Department at police@cityofeldridgeia.org.
Social Media Reaction
Russo's story has garnered significant attention on social media, especially through viral TikTok clips of users reacting to her GoFundMe, Facebook and LinkedIn posts.
What's Next?
Recent court filings say Russo's arraignment, which had been previously set for Feb. 23, has been continued to March 2.
This is an ongoing investigation.