La. Husband, Wife Convicted in Fake Cancer Scheme

A former Shreveport, La., police officer escaped most of the federal charges lodged against him in a scheme to collect donations for a non-existent brain tumor his wife claimed to have.

The Associated Press reported that Tony Larry and Tyna Larry were both convicted of an overall fraud conspiracy recently by a federal jury, but were acquitted of insurance fraud charges related to the burning of their house. The man was found innocent of all other fraud-related counts against him.

Tyna Larry earlier pleaded guilty to 38 counts fraud-related counts. U.S. District Judge Maurice Hicks set sentencing for Sept. 29. The couple, who live in Dallas, were allowed to remain free on bond.

The couple testified that Tyna Larry lied to her husband for nearly three years about her illness. The woman said her lies began as a marital fix that snowballed as money and gifts totaling about $25,000 began pouring in.

Tyna Larry admitted earlier that she used the story to avoid paying creditors in bankruptcy court and to filing $16,000 worth of false dental claims on city insurance.

The donations included $9,200 from the Shreveport police union.

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