Judge 'Speechless' at Sentencing for Cancer Faker

Sentencing for Lori Stilley, the Delran woman who concocted an extensive and far-reaching fake cancer scheme, was emotional for everyone involved. 

Everyone, that is, except Stilley.

Two victim impact statements—from Stilley's sister Lisa DiGiovanni and ex-husband, Brian Schenski—brought the involvement of Stilley’s children to the forefront and made Judge James W. Palmer question their welfare during the proceedings Thursday morning in Superior Court in Mount Holly.

Palmer ultimately sentenced Stilley to serve four years probation and perform the maximum of 500 hours of community service. In addition, Stilley will have to pay restitution totaling $11,239.60 and undergo a psychiatric evaluation, as well as re-take a drug and alcohol evaluation she already took after she pleaded guilty in May. 

Stilley was convicted of third-degree theft by deception after faking Stage III, and later Stage IV bladder cancer. To help pay for the supposed medical costs, legions of supporters held fundraisers that brought in thousands of dollars. Friends organized food deliveries and other assistance.

Stilley even went so far as writing an e-book on her "ordeal" and convincing supporters to pay for a wedding at the Moorestown Community House so she could marry her boyfriend before her death, which she told people at the time would happen soon. 

Through the entire sentencing proceedings Thursday, Stilley maintained a stone-faced and apathetic look, even as her sister broke down and her ex-husband struggled to hold back tears. Palmer said Stilley’s lack of emotion as stories were told about her son and daughter undergoing mental trauma due to her lies was “disturbing.” 

“You did not appear serious about this offense,” he admonished Stilley. 

DiGiovanni, who turned in her sister for faking cancer and swindling others, was so overwhelmed with emotion as she went up to speak that she could not begin her statement. Her husband, Mike, started for her until DiGiovanni was able to contain herself and continue. 

Her statement went through the history of Stilley’s fake cancer, but the focus was brought back to DiGiovanni's kids, as well as Stilley’s. She said they were all negatively affected by Stilley’s lies. 

“I pray to God every day that she gets the help she needs so she can be a better parent to her children,” DiGiovanni said. 

Schenski’s statement focused on the well-being of his 12-year-old daughter with Stilley. The girl, who primarily lived with Stilley, was consistently lied to, Schenski told the court, even after Stilley's arrest in September and guilty plea in May. Schenski spoke of how his daughter believed every word Stilley told her. 

“That’s what my mommy said,” was a phrase Schenski said his daughter uttered to him many times. 

Schenski said Stilley recently told their daughter that she only pleaded guilty because a trial would cost too much money. 

This led Palmer, a former family court judge, to tell Stilley that if he heard that case in the family department, she would no longer be the parent of primary residence. 

Stilley’s defense attorney, Adam Malamut, came forward with letters from Stilley’s supporters, as well as her parents. In their letter, her parents described how they felt betrayed by DiGiovanni and said Stilley always had health issues. 

The letter certainly didn’t move Palmer, who said his viewpoint on the case changed after hearing the statements from the victims. 

“You need to be the type of mother that you need to be for your children,” he told Stilley.

"Frankly, what's gone on with your children is just speechless."

After hearing the statements, Palmer said he was turning the tape of Thursday’s proceedings over to the family division for child counseling. 

In a statement released following the hearing, Malamut put much of the blame for the children’s issues on DiGiovanni, stating, “Since the inception of this case, Mrs. Stilley has been serving a sentence after being tried in the court of public opinion. For more than two years, she, and to a greater extent I, on her behalf, have turned down requests from Lynn Doyle, Dr. Phil, Christina Ng, Anderson Cooper and Brian Williams, to name a few." 
“She has been subject to public ridicule and embarrassment," the statement continued. "Worse, her children have been subject to ridicule and embarrassment. Ironically, when her sister, Lisa DiGiovanni, went on her two-year, self-promoting media tour, it was under the guise of trying to help her niece and nephew. She gave interviews that all she wanted to do was help her niece and nephew. I can’t imagine how subjecting her sister to the type of press and ridicule she did would benefit them.” 
Both the prosecution and the defense quickly left the courtroom following the hearing and declined to speak with reporters.