BELLEFONTE, Pa. (AP) — A former Pennsylvania beauty queen accused of faking leukemia to benefit from fundraisers is heading to trial.
Brandi Weaver-Gates waived her rights to a preliminary hearing Wednesday morning, according to online court documents.
Twenty-three-year-old Weaver-Gates, of Pleasant Gap, was arraigned last week on three additional counts each of theft and receiving stolen property.
She's been jailed since her arrest in August. Authorities believe she conned at least 165 people into donating nearly $30,000 through a bingo event in April and other fundraisers since August 2013.
Public defender Deb Lux has said the former Miss Pennsylvania U.S. International pageant winner is sorry for the thefts and hopes to repay the money.
Her next court date is Dec. 30.
