SWEETWATER – Family and friends of Ashley Lively are in shock after the sheriff’s department said they are investigating a woman for complaints that she raised money by faking cancer.
Detective Travis Jones who is working on the case said Lively admitted she made it all up.
Both the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and Loudon County Sheriff’s office are involved in the investigation. Charges against Lively are still pending, however, she is being investigated for close to $8,000 in fraud and the sheriff’s office said their investigation goes back to January.
Margaret Shubert, Lively’s aunt, said that at 3:00 p.m. Thursday Lively sent a text to the family saying the cancer was fake. She said she had the names of everyone who donated and planned to pay them back. Shubert said her family is “just as shocked and tore up as everyone else,” therefore, they are not part of the investigation.
Hair Therapy Spa in Athens said they still can’t believe Lively is being investigated. In January they said they gave a whole day of free spa treatments to Lively, her mom and grandmother. They said they want to believe that Lively is cured of cancer, not that they’ve been cheated.
WATE 6 On Your Side reached out to Lively for a comment, but have not received a response. Reporter Mona Nair is talking with detectives with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office about the investigation.