St. Peters Woman Who Faked Cancer Gets Probation

A St. Peters resident who admitted  to faking cancer while she was a graduate student at Truman State University, was sentenced to five years on probation.

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Victoria Ann Marut, 23, was sentenced on Monday. 

A student in Truman's Master of Arts in Education, Marut was working at Kirksville Primary School when she informed the administration she was battling terminal cancer. Concerned about Marut’s health, the University and the primary school asked the Marut to provide documentation that she was physically able to continue her internship.

Department of Public Safety Director for the University Tom Johnson told the Index Marut gave the University a letter later that afternoon. The letterhead was a Boone Hospital letterhead with Doctor Michael Trendle’s name. The letter gave Marut's diagnosis, but also said she should be able to continue her internship. Further checking out the issue, Trendle was contacted. Trendle, an oncologist with the Missouri Cancer Associates, confirmed he did not write the letter and never had Marut as a patient.

Marut pleaded guilty to claims she faked a doctor's signature she used to dupe school officials into believing she was battling cancer earlier in May.