Teen Arrested In Connection To Charity

Angie Gomez, 19, was arrested on Friday. She faces one felony charge of theft of property.

The charge stems from allegations that she started a fake charity on the pretense that she had cancer, helping her raise more than $17,000.

ABC-7 was following the story before news broke that she was accused of fraudulently collecting money. In 2011, Gomez made headlines as a school collected money and put on a prom since she missed hers due to a hospital stay. Eventually those same students helped her raise money for the “Achieve the Dream Foundation,” which Gomez set up.

Horizon Police investigators believe she lied about her leukemia to gain access to the money.

Her attorney, Sheldon Myers, said she had good intentions for the money. Myers declined to discuss the case in great detail, pointing out he hadn’t looked at the state’s case because the indictment only came down on Thursday, but he did say she had health problems as a child and began to worry about children with diseases such as cancer.

“She has a real soft spot for people that suffer from those types of diseases, and that’s why she was trying ot get money for them,” said Myers.

He added that she had access to the money, but never did.

Gomez’s bond was set at $50,000. According to Myers that sum may make it hard for her to get out of jail this weekend.

“She’s not really happy, jail is not a pleasant place especially for a young lady like her who has never been in a place like that.”