Amanda C. Riley aka "Scamanda's" Former Church Was at the Center of Her Wire Fraud Scandal
Amanda C. Riley was a beloved member of her church before they discovered she stole thousands from them.
Published Feb. 5 2025, 11:21 a.m. ET
Many true crime fans have followed Amanda Christine Riley's tumultuous story since the release of a true crime podcast and documentary based on her life, Scamanda. The podcast and documentary of the same name follows Amanda's decision to fake having Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma to receive money from her San Jose community. The wife and mom of two gained nearly $100,000 in donations from people who wanted to see her health improve and were stunned to find out she wasn't being honest with them.
Amanda's scheme included sharing her story with the San Jose megachurch she attended for several years. The church's visibility has continued to climb as they have seemingly completely distanced themselves from her.
Here's what to know about Amanda C. Riley's church.
Amanda C. Riley was an active member of Family Community Church in San Jose, Calif.
Amanda attended Family Community Church. According to the church's podcast's website, it is a non-denominational church. The church's main website further explained that it has been around since 1983 and was founded by Pastor William "Bill" Bucholz.
Amanda joined Family Community Church in 2012 and quickly got involved in the community. She became an active part of many different groups within the megachurch, which was no easy feat, considering the church has over 5,000 members.
Amanda's prominence in the church increased after she shared her blood cancer diagnosis with the congregation. The community often received updates about what was going on with her through her speaking at the church or through her now defunct blog, Lymphoma Can Suck It! In the blog, Amanda often discussed her experiences at Family Community and her friendship with the church's former lead pastor, Pastor Chase Wiggins.
"I'm so thankful for Pastor Chase and the leadership team," Amanda wrote on her blog in Decembr 2015. "They're not friends, they're family. I didn't even know it was possible to do life like this, these people are the most incredible human beings I've ever had the priveldge to meet. That says a lot, because I have met some AMAZING people."
Amanda C. Riley's former church has yet to discuss her cancer scam publicly.
Amanda's church played an integral role in her eventual crime. The church, along with the rest of her San Jose community, rallied around her when they discovered she was diagnosed with cancer. Amanda initially told her community she had Stage 3 cancer, and, over time, began saying the cancer was terminal. However, in 2015, investigative producer, Nancy Mosciatello, received an anonymous tip from someone who believed she was faking her disease.
According to ABC News, Mosciatello received the tip from Lisa Berry, who was previously a longtime friend of Amanda's. The producer eventually got San Jose police detective Jose Martinez, and they forged a five-year quest to prove she was lying to her community. In July 2020, their efforts worked, as Amanda was charged with wire fraud and "a scheme to solicit donations from individuals to help her pay for cancer treatments she never needed nor received."
The mother of two pleaded guilty to wire fraud and was ordered to pay $105,513 in restitution. She was also ordered to serve 60 months in prison and is set to be released in October 2026, per Insider.
Since Amanda's arrest, Family Community Church has remained mum about the crime that sparked the Scamanda craze. According to the church's social media accounts, the church is still standing and continues to serve the San Jose community through Sunday service and other charitable efforts.