Cancer fraudster pleads guilty

A man who pretended he had brain cancer to swindle cash from his Calgary friends has pleaded guilty to fraud. A fundraiser with local musicians was held for [The accused] in July 2011, raising almost $7,500.

Friends say they did his work, paid his rent and took him to and from the hospital, though no one ever went inside with him.

The 28-year-old later disappeared.

He was tracked down in Victoria and brought back to Calgary earlier this month. [The accused] will be back in court in November.

He was assaulted at the Calgary Remand Centre last week. [The accused]'s lawyer, Joel Chevrefils said his client received a concussion, a broken nose, black eyes and a bruised spleen.