MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Authorities have charged a woman after they say she faked a cancer diagnosis to get nearly 8,300 oxycodone pills from providers in three counties.
Attorney General Dave Sunday stated that Brandi Leigh Bachman has been charged with fraudulently obtaining nearly 8,300 oxycodone pills from 19 different providers while claiming she had terminal cancer.
Between 2021 and 2024, Bachman, 40, told providers in Monroe, Lehigh, and Carbon counties that she had a malignant melanoma and it metastasized to her lungs, the release states.
Investigators said multiple providers were told Bachman had terminal cancer, but had a hard time getting her documents for different reasons. In some cases, she used forged documents as proof of her diagnosis, AG Sunday noted.
Man accused of murder, burning woman’s body has court appearance
According to the press release, when providers would suggest treatment and testing, Bachman would say that she did not want treatment anymore; she just "wanted care to help ease the end of her life."
Bachman obtained 8,298 tablets through her scheme and stole the identities of three physicians to further her fraudulent claims, as reported.
Attorney General Sunday said, "This criminal scheme allowed the defendant to access opioids for years, deceiving providers who believed they were treating legitimate pain from a terminal illness."
Bachman is charged with 21 felony counts of acquisition of a controlled substance by fraud, along with identity theft and criminal use of a communication facility. She was arrested, and bail was set at $25,000.
