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Molino Couple In Court In Alleged Cancer Scam Case
September 16, 2011
The Molino couple accused of faking her cancer diagnosis to scam people out of thousands of dollars were back in court this week.
Both Chris and Sonja Luker appeared before Judge Joel Boles for a docket hearing before their scheduled trial date of September 29th. Boles granted a postponement request by the defense. Both Lukers will be back in court for a docket hearing on January 11 ,2012, and their trial is now set for jury selection to begin January 23, 2012.
Felony grand theft charges were dropped against the couple back in May, but they both still face felony fraud charges in the alleged scheme.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, numerous fundraisers were held between May 2004 and October 2010 that raised over $19,000. Evidence shows that about $14,000 was used in 2009 to avoid foreclosure on their home in the 4700 block of Pine Circle Drive and about $4,000 in cash was used by Chris Luker to purchase a 1997 Harley motorcycle.
The Sheriff’s Office investigation found that Chris and Sonja Luker personally received money from friends, family, church members and co-workers under a “scheme” that Sonja Luker was being treated for cancer. Investigators believe both Chris and Sonja Luker are guilty of fraud in the scheme; witnesses said the couple was observed together at fundraisers talking about her cancer treatments.
They have each pleaded not guilty to the charge against them.
Pictured above: Sonja and Chris Luker (in black shirts) are seen in a 2009 NorthEscambia.com photo from a motorcycle ride fundraiser that benefited her alleged fight against cancer. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
43 Responses to “Molino Couple In Court In Alleged Cancer Scam Case”
@Fat Boy,
I can throw MANY stones. No I never missed a meal and yes I donate often. I would have given that money to other charities but most of all its not my money, my time (which I donated alot of working those events that could have been spent with my family) or my feelings thats the problem. Its my children who donated their time, and money to her “fighting cancer” its their heartbreak at being lied to with no apology, its their loss of innocence from someone they were to trust.
Thanks for the comment on the bike, That one in the picture is not theirs.
Just curious as to why they claimed to need the fund raisers. I work at the plant Chris works at although I don’t know him personally. We have good insurance. There are people out here who have actually had cancer and managed to pay their deductibles with out fund raisers. So what was the story here?
Sonja had the nerve to go around talking about her “terrible illness” and collecting money from family, friends, and anyone that would contribute. Then, she had the nerve to allow herself to be named “Person of the Year” for Molino. What a joke! Then, she walked in front of her entire congregation performing her “cardboard testimony” with a sign that read, “Cancer had my body for 6 years.” Wow…..she has the nerve to do all that and Chris Luker has the nerve to ride around on his Harley (paid for by people donating to her treatment), but neither has the nerve to ADMIT they’ve done wrong and receive their punishment! Pitiful.
They should have to go work in hospitals in the cancer wards for free and watch people suffer and die. I also think they should have to go volunteer with hospice and go into people’s homes and watch them and their families suffer through the last few days…it’s not a pretty site. I’m sure their friends and family that “donated” to their cause were thinking this is the way Sonya would end up…can you even imagine the tears and horrible things that were going through the minds of the friends and loved ones when they heard about her “illness?” To me, that’s the most suffering anyone will ever do…..thinking about one of their own passing away. HOW UTTERLY MEAN and CRUEL. I hope the judge that gets this insane case throws the book at them.
Big e….whats your point to Bill? I see nothing wrong with what he said….he stated that apparently he or his wife had cancer and he said he wasn’t going to say what he thought they should have as punishment. WHAT DID HE SAY TO OFFEND YOU????
It’s without a doubt that those who gave and participated in the Fund Raising themselves were the victims here . It is a shame to see what $$$$ can cause people to do . However , those who gave and participated in the fundraisers for (well……. what any of you choose to call Chris and Sonya ) I see you as good people who were doing you’re part in humanity to ” Love your Nieghbor” and even though you were victims of such a Cruel Scam . I still believe that their are other people out in the community who need help and that we don’t let this horrible thing harden ourselves to those that do need it . I hope that through all of this that we can still BE a community .
This is crazy. You people are full of hate. I hope I never meet any of you.
Bill,
I work with patients like you.
Go get some help.
I’m at a loss for words, suffering the pain, trauma, and getting well with my wife. True “friends” and believers will come forward, God thank each and everyone of you. People who do, and like many of us, ask nothing. But to these two, again, no words for such shameful excuses of a life and scam. This disease and the anguish of those who face it daily….. I won’t state what I think you should have as punishment, just personally glad I’ve never seen anything of you two but “mug shots” and the suffering you have caused so many.
@just call me joe…..god is watching over ur loved one through this hard time.why do they keep pushing it back?? whats done is done and it’s over with,god is going to come back and make their punishment on the couple and we leave it at that,the community is outraged,but the community needs to forget and move on…the kids r really the one’s that are hurt though,not the adults..let’s protect our kids and make them realize that there is some good in people,yea…i’m talking about the “lukers” and there is some bad in people we have to leave it up to god and let the “bad” people answer to him for their punishment.
REGARDING:
” the past is the past so we just need 2 4get about it ”
An interesting philosophy. It would certainly save us money, too if we practiced it. After all, every person in prison convicted of murder, rape, armed robbery, child molesting did it it in the past, so we could just forget about it and empty our prisons.
David considering extending the thought
I’m glad they got caught with this scam and hope they are punished. However, people here have long memories and if they think putting off the trial will help, I think they are mistaken. They won’t be welcome in the communities here for a long time.
The best thing these people can do is move on, and spare their community, from the sight of themselves.
Some of these comments really floor me. All I have to say is I trusted these people. Wholeheartedly trusted them. So if I am angry and hurt, I have a right to be. My children were exposed to them. I had to explain to my elementary aged chidren how our friends could lie to us and steal from us. Grown people they look up to. So, while you guys are being Jokey McJokesters or trying to get over it or whatever. It would just be nice to see them take their punishment, show some regret for what they did, and give a real apology to the people that tried so desperately to help them and to love them.
How many of you angry citizens actually missed a meal to divert funds to this couple?
How many of you really would have given to another charity, but couldn’t because you were scammed into poverty?
Most of you commenters never gave a dime.
Thier “crime spree” netted less than $10 a day.
Yet, we want to bring the wrath of God down on them.
If you gave more than $10 and didn’t get a cake, throw your stone.
I know what they did was wrong that they took money from people who proberly need it more than what they used it 4 but the past is the past so we just need 2 4get about it though it might b hard and god is watching them and he knows his plans 4 them even though it might b good or bad but he knows so when need 2 4get about it
REGARDING:
” if you gave to the cause with a good heart and good intentions – you should not feel bad about it. It is the giving that counts not what the end result was”
That’s one way of looking at it.
Another way of looking at it is to think how the ability to satisfy the desire to help is limited by the amount of money available and that money given to scams is money not given to physically needy. You could feel badly for those you would have helped but couldn’t because you were tricked out of your money by someone having fun.
David for real help
@ pm…
THAT is exactly what they want to happen with all of these postponements, “If we just keep getting it put off, people will forget and we will get off…”
Yeah, that will teach them a lesson, let me tell you… They stole money from innocent people and the last I checked, that is still STEALING and against the law… I hope the justice system works but that remains to be seen…
I hope the judge makes an example out of the both of them in this case and give them the max that the law allows…
@dead poet
You have to admit, it is a nice bike.
@joe
If you knew anything about bikers, you would know that they don’t haul supermodels on back.
Just saw on the news where a New York women is in jail tonight after being found guilty of gambling away her sons cancer treatment money ( $15,000 )mother took her sons cancer money. She admitted to police. The money was donated and was supposed to pay for the 21yr olds cancer treatment. Moms confession she admitted to have a gambling problem. The hospital where man was being treated offered to pay for his treatment for free. Sonja and Chris LUKER maybe you should admit to having a lying problem and morals issues to boot. If it wasn’t true that you didnt have Cancer then why arent you still in treatment. Those cancer treatments have to be getting overwhelming. We would feel better if you just go on record saying you never did have cancer. You will feel better about yourself if you do. Go ahead I’ll even help you repeat after me I told a fib. I am a terrible person ( Sonja’s thinking to herself: okay I said it come on Chris lets go ride our free Harley that these fools paid for.)
So a lot of people got duped and are angry about it. However, if you gave to the cause with a good heart and good intentions – you should not feel bad about it. It is the giving that counts not what the end result was. A lot of money that is given to charity is misused but people should still keep giving to the less fortunate. One early lesson in my life was that if i gave with good intentions then my reward was in the giving. If the money was scammed then it is on the backs of whomever took it in bad faith. So, please stop being angry and by all means don’t stop giving because by now any complaints anyone may have is only hurting them. The community needs to heal and forgive if not for the Lukers’ then for themselves.
The amount of money raised is totally irrelevant….These two set out to steal from their friends & loved ones. They are just complete losers. Frankly, I don’t care what happens in court because they live with their choices everyday when they drive around a community in which they no longer have any friends.
My sister in law is suffering from cancer and the weight is falling off of her. She just can’t eat. The woman on the back of the motorcycle looks too fat and healthy to have fooled anybody into thinking she had cancer.
@ Kathy’s Boy
Yes, I know what happened. If you live on this planet, you have been lied to by cars salesmen, politicians, preachers,employers and panhandlers who took more money by ill means than these people. Before we drag them out in the street and shoot them, let’s get the guy who sold me the “84 Mercury Topaz.
I agree that what they did was wrong. But if you are one of the angry people who feel duped, your heart may be in the wrong place. You can’t just be good to good people, and be a good person. Find joy in knowing that you had good intentions, and that you would do it again.
Besides $19,000 will not put a scratch in the cost of a catastrophic illness.
@Darius
I hope your remarks were intended to be sarcastic. If not, are you not aware of the case? The charge is that she never had cancer and she went as far as to shave her head and went out of town for these nonexistent chemo treatments. So the no harm, no foul remark that you make….there is plenty of both; the FOUL being that they lied and took advantage of caring citizens; the HARM is they took the money from people who could’ve put their money to good use.
FATBOY– I hope you are just blowing smoke—not doing ” smoke”.
We had alot of fun at the charity events. If I thought that anyone would show, I would organize a bike ride to help with their defense fund.
Its’nt this what a marriage should be? This wonderful couple kept thier hopes and dreams alive by sharing thier goals and working together. This is a fine example of two people who love each other and can kept the most personal details to themselves while letting their community feel good about helping someone in need. Chris even bought a bike so that he too could preticipate in such charity events. I hope the worst of their money problems are over and that they live happy ever after.
NO HARM….NO FOUL
The trial date keeps getting pushed back but they know in their hearts that the community is against them and they don’t have friends to turn to if something really happened to either of them and that is a sad situation. If they were to really need help, I’m not sure if anyone would help because they would think it was only for money again.
Sad that people have such coldness in their hearts. From the pictures, I’d say not just a little of the stolen money financed a few trips through the buffet line (and, yes, it was stolen because they took what they had no right to.)
God is watching all we do and say and He knows our heart. They scammed humans, but they won’t scam God. And there are more truly good people in our community willing to lend a helping hand to our neighbors than there are scammers. All this little escapade will do is make the rest of us more cautious with our giving and sharing, and cause the receivers to be more responsible and accountable for what they receive. There is nothing wrong with personal accountability. This was just a wake-up call.
They should be ashamed of themselves. Whats real sad is there are people right here in our community truely sick and need the same support. I sure hope this act of greed doesn’t effect the rest of the victims of cancer…but it will be hard for many to give after finding out the many yrs of lies!!
Still praying for these two; never saw this comming…
Even through all the lies and fraud, I hope that she doesn’t get cancer (even though that would be poetic justice). I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. It still amazes me that someone would use such a horrific disease to make money.
That friends list has gotten REAL thin out here
No surprise, I said at the very beginning they will keep pushing the date back. This will give Mr. Luker more time to cruise around on that Harley, flaunting it in the face of all his “friends” and neighbors.
Does this mean the street corner beggers are guilty also? ANYTHING HELPS!
Right On Tina.
AMEN Tina P…simple as it gets
I hope they get what they deserve, what they did was so wrong!
Good gravy how ridiculous. Postpone, postpone, postpone. Just confess to your sins and take your punishment.