Charity organizations are rightly upset at the moment over reports that one Trista Joy Lathem deceived them and obtained over $10,000 in donations for breast enlargement. Lathem had married this past April but her marriage was having problems. According to a police affidavit, she decided to tell her husband that she had cancer, in hopes that this would “bring them closer together”.

She shaved her head and communicated with acquaintances and local community leaders that she had lost her health insurance and needed to complete her chemotherapy. Various benefits were held to raise money for her, bringing in the $10,000 from some businesses and about 24 individual donors.

News reports are not explaining how the fraud was discovered, but at some point she was exposed and according to the McLennan County Sheriff’s office, she has been arrested on a charge of “theft by deception”.

It appears that of the $10,000, she used $6,800 to have breast implants in hopes of saving her marriage. Her husband was apparently appalled and filed for annulment the day she was arrested. He denies knowing that her cancer claim was false and is now filing for custody of their two children – evidently step-children, since Lathem married him only in April.

One has to wonder how a new wife could convince her husband that she had a fatal disease, and was receiving drastic treatment for it, when that was all lies. Did he not want to talk to her doctor?

Background Checking Always Important

Charity spokespeople are suggesting that before donating money to individuals entirely based on the story told to them, the organizations do a little more checking. Background checking is also important for cosmetic surgeons, and in this space on November 10, 2009 we posted a story about criminals deceiving plastic surgeons in the Philippines.

Breast enlargement is major surgery, as are many of the cosmetic surgery procedures, such as facelifts and tummy tucks. Good communications between doctor and patient is essential for a good outcome. At the Cosmetic Surgical Center, Dr. Rai talks to his new patients in depth, learning what they would like to achieve, learning about their medical history, and answering all questions.

If you would like to learn more about any of the cosmetic surgery procedures we offer, please contact our Dallas, Texas office today for a free personal consultation with Dr. Rai.