TOLEDO, Ohio — Just over three years after Toledo woman Lisa Titkemeier told family and friends she was battling non-Hodgkin's follicular lymphoma, she was sentenced in a Lucas County court for fundraising thousands of dollars - in the name of a diagnosis investigators said was fabricated.
Lucas County judge Lori Olender sentenced Titkemeier to six months in the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio and three years of community control Thursday. She is also required to do 200 hours of community service, pay restitution of more than $25,000 and continue her mental health treatment.
The sentencing arrived after a June 13 guilty plea to one fourth-degree felony count of theft. Investigators said Titkemeier used the false cancer diagnosis to steal $25,158.
During the sentencing hearing, Titkemeier's attorney argued for a lighter sentence, stating she was not a threat to the public and cited her efforts to get mental health treatment.
"Lisa accepts full responsibility for what has happened here," her defense argued, and petitioned the judge for a sentencing of community control.
Titkemeier then read a letter to the court. She was emotional, expressing remorse and citing mental health issues as a reason for her actions.
"I first want to sincerely apologize from the bottom of my heart for my past actions," she said. "I know I am unable to change the past."
"I will continue my mental health treatments twice a week, sometimes even more," she said, and thanked her family members for their support.
Olender said she had received more letters from victims in this case than she possibly ever had.
"The circumstances of this offense... don't show the perfect loving mother (Titkemeier claims to be)," Olender said. She then scolded her, saying Titkemeier's children's lives would be forever harmed by her actions.
"How are your children ever going to have a normal life again?" Olender asked. Titkemeier's children ran hot cocoa and lemonade stands to raise money for fallen Toledo police officers, endearing her to the community and ultimately prompting the donations when she announced her fabricated diagnosis.
Many family members, Titkemeier's children included, shaved their head in solidarity with her, believing her diagnosis to be legitimate.
"This reads Munchausen to me," Olender said, comparing it to a Munchausen by proxy case she had previously presided over.
"So many people's trust... you just threw it out the window," Olender said. "You can't use your mental health as a shield for this."
Titkemeier must turn herself in by noon Friday.
“If you don’t show up, you’re going to prison," Olender said.
In 2020 and 2021, Titkemeier became a public face of fundraising efforts for the families of Anthony Dia and Brandon Stalker. Both Toledo officers were killed in the line of duty.
After the sentencing, several people expressed relief that Titkemeier will spend time in jail, including Dee Lynn, who worked with Lisa on the Dia and Stalker benefits.
"I wasn't happy leading up to the sentence, with the lies still being told and her not owning up to it, but I am thankful that the judge could see through that," Lynn said. "You had your children do something good for fallen officers, and then you ruined it. No one else."
Cosette Stalker first encountered Lisa during a benefit for her son.
"I'm glad she got some jail time. Did she get enough? I don't think so, because she knew what she did and she was using her mental health," Stalker said. "It hurts that somebody can take that from children and especially after what her son did to raise money for my son, for my grandkids. It's shameful. It's shameful."
Beside her was a woman she met Thursday morning - Shawn Conner - who traveled from Bowling Green to support the families but also real cancer victims.
Conner was wearing a hat that read "Bad hair day," which she says is often the case since she was diagnosed with lung cancer three and a half years ago. Three months ago, it returned.
"I opted out of doing any type of treatment this time," Conner said.
She doesn't know Titkemeier but was emotionally affected by her scam.
"I have friends and family that have been going through cancer themselves. What they are going through and what I went through, I just can't wrap my head around how somebody could just make up something."
Titkemeier was allowed to spend Thursday night with her family but was ordered to turn herself in to begin her jail sentence by noon on Friday.
Her sentencing is included below:
Titkemeier, 38, was well-known in northwest Ohio for raising money for slain police officers Anthony Dia and Brandon Stalker, who were killed in the line of duty in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Though Titkemeier told community members she was battling cancer, Ohio's Bureau of Criminal Investigation discovered she had not been treated for, or even diagnosed with cancer.
EARLIER COVERAGE: 'She's hurt a lot of people': Man alleges affair with Toledo woman accused of faking cancer
Between four separate benefits, Titkemeier raised thousands of dollars. Additionally, she received free services, meals and gift cards from community members.
Editor's note: This story was updated to correct an error regarding how Titkemeier's children's lemonade and hot cocoa stands were used in fundraising efforts. Additionally, this story was updated to correct the year Titkemeier first claimed to have been diagnosed with cancer.
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