Charges: AIDS case was faked

Cassey Weierbach accused of duping state on health claims.

By Daniel Patrick Sheehan and Spencer Soper Of The Morning Call

Cassey Weierbach, a Freedom High School graduate who stayed busy on the lecture circuit sharing an account of being raped in childhood and infected with AIDS, has been charged with defrauding the state of more than $66,000 by falsely claiming to have the disease.

Weierbach, 27, who could not be located for comment Monday, was arraigned Friday before District Judge Ralph Litzenberger of Palmer Township on charges filed by the state Office of Inspector General. She is accused of theft by deception, forgery, tampering with records and making false statements.

She was released on $25,000 unsecured bail and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 9 a.m. Monday before District Judge Gay Elwell of Easton.

In June, Weierbach was the subject of a story by The Morning Call, which interviewed many of Weierbach's friends, family and former friends in exploring her tale. For years, preachers, teachers, doctors and churchgoers have come to her aid, and she told her tear-jerking story in churches, to youth groups, at medical conferences and on TV.

According to arrest records, Weierbach, whose address is listed as a Bethlehem post office box, used fabricated laboratory records to indicate she had AIDS so she could begin receiving benefits through the Northampton County Assistance Office in 2003.

According to an affidavit:

In 2004, during a routine benefits review, she provided more false information to a Bethlehem doctor, Cindy Barter, who began questioning the diagnosis because Weierbach was refusing AIDS medications. Barter obtained records from Lehigh Valley Hospital showing Weierbach had tested negative for the condition.

In February 2005, Weierbach was dismissed as a patient by Dr. Susan Sefcik of St. Luke's Medical Clinic for misrepresenting her illness. Two months later, Weierbach signed up with another doctor, Terry Pundiak, and supplied altered medical records, the affidavit says.

In August 2005, Weierbach admitted herself to Sacred Heart Hospital, where an examination showed she does not suffer from AIDS or ''any other functional limitations.'' And in March 2006, she presented herself as having AIDS to Sacred Heart Primary Care.

''I don't know whether this person can be saved, but I don't want her to hurt anyone else,'' Liz Bradbury said Monday. The gay activist and newspaper publisher told The Morning Call for the June story she suspected years ago that Weierbach's dramatic account of her life was false.

Bradbury said Weierbach did tremendous harm to the cause of AIDS awareness.

''This sort of thing starts AIDS panic and causes people to hate and fear people with AIDS,'' she said Monday.

Weierbach's travels as an AIDS activist included a tour with the San Francisco nonprofit group Hope's Voice, which coordinates HIV-AIDS educational campaigns featuring speakers diagnosed with the disease. But her time with the group was cut short when its executive director, Todd Murray, grew suspicious because Weierbach did not show symptoms and would not provide a medical emergency plan with instructions on what to do and whom to call.

Murray's doubts intensified one night on the tour when Weierbach stood up out of her wheelchair and danced in a bar after drinking some shots, said Murray, who was diagnosed with HIV at age 20.

''For someone to lie and take advantage of the system hurts not only the awareness movement, but it hurts the people who fight to live with this every day,'' he said.