Man faking cancer raised thousands, police allege

Calgary police are looking for a man they say pretended to have cancer to get money.

Investigators say the man held a silent auction last July to raise cash for his cancer treatment.

It was only later that friends began to suspect the almost $7,500 in funds weren't being used for anything medical, and questioned whether the man even had cancer.

Former acquaintances claim he told many people he had a brain tumour and was undergoing treatment, and even had a countdown calendar for it in his kitchen.

Friends did his work, paid his rent, and took him to and from the hospital — but never inside it.

'It's human nature'

Last summer, a fundraiser was held with musicians from across the city, with one person even donating a beloved guitar for an auction.

Lindsay Shedden helped organize a fundraiser and says she handed the man an envelope stuffed with money at the end of it.

Shedden says she's disgusted.

"Why did I? Why? But it's human nature, you know," she said. "You want to help people. It's an easy scam I guess, because people want to help other people."

An investigation led to police issuing a warrant for 28-year-old Kristopher Nicholas Cook, who is wanted on two counts of fraud.

He's described as white, five foot eight inches tall, with a slim build brown hair and brown eyes.