Michelle Bodzsar, Ben Stephen Miller allegedly fleeced $60,000 in child cancer scam

A breathtaking scam that allegedly fleeced a good-hearted school community has shocked South Australia.

• Alleged child cancer scam victims left in dismay

The parents at the centre of the alleged elaborate $60,000 childhood ‘cancer scam’ went straight for the heartstrings when trying to raise as much money as possible from friends, acquaintances and other parents in a tight-knit school community in the western suburbs.

The goal was clear. To rely on the inherent goodness of those around them. Donors responded with the natural sympathy and sadness that comes when any child is sick, never mind a six-year-old who was supposed to be enduring the horrors of eye cancer.

Police alleged that to emphasise their son’s supposed illness, Michelle Bodzsar and Ben Stephen Miller shaved his hair and eyebrows, wrapped him in bandages and placed him in a wheelchair.

Picture: Facebook

“I look at you with sadness in my eyes and heart,” Ms Bodzsar, 44, wrote in a social media post.

“It’s unbearable for daddy and mummy to see you go through this. Your blues no longer shine but an emptiness in a world you have not been in long.’’

“I promise to be your everything,” she wrote.

In another social media post, it was claimed the boy had been diagnosed with Stage 1 eye cancer with “three tumours that are on and around the optic nerve”.

A BSB and an account number was attached asking for donations.

Ms Bodzsar also wrote of a trip to a shopping centre to see Santa Claus, describing it as an “emotional sad day” for her son.

“It has taken one week to pluck up the courage to sit in the cave for a photo,” she wrote on Facebook.

“His fear of being stared at by other children is very overwhelming and definitely out of his comfort zone right now.’’

Ms Bodzsar even thanked the shopping centre for “gifting’’ the family the photos.

The allegations against Michelle Bodzsar and Ben Miller

Police allege Ms Bodzsar and Mr Miller raised $60,000 from an alleged fake “cancer scam”.

As the details of the claims emerged, the depth of the alleged deception became ever more outrageous.

In a case police have described as “abhorrent” and “extremely traumatic,” it will be alleged the couple shaved their young son’s head and eyebrows and placed him into a wheelchair with bandages on his head to imitate radiotherapy treatment for cancer.

Ms Bodzsar and Mr Miller, both aged 44 and from Adelaide’s western suburbs, have been charged with commit an act likely to cause harm and deception offences, and faced Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on Friday. The offence carries a maximum penalty of five years’ jail.

SA Police acting assistant commissioner John DeCandia said investigations had started after a member of the community noticed “something wasn’t quite right”.

Further investigations confirmed that the boy was not seeking medical treatment and the ­fictitious illness was causing significant and serious psychological harm to the child and his sister, who was aged between six and 12 years old.

“You can just imagine, mentally, thinking that you’ve got cancer, and even for the other sibling to be thinking that their (brother) has cancer … it’s devastating,” he said.

“I couldn’t think of anything more abhorrent or anything worse a parent could do to their child than to make them think they’ve got cancer purely for their own personal greed and selfishness, just for them to get some money.”

What Ms Bodzsar and Mr Miller allegedly told their friends

Neighbours have told The Advertiser that Ms Bodzsar and Mr Miller had claimed that their six-year-old boy had an accident at school that caused injury to the eye, which eventually led to the eye cancer diagnosis.

The diagnosis came as a “shock” to the school community as they had always known the boy to be very outgoing and active.

However, family friends who saw him with bandages wrapped around his head in recent weeks, have told police that his behaviour and speech pattern remained unchanged despite the alleged serious diagnosis and treatment.

A woman, who asked not to be identified, said she donated money to the couple.

She said they asked via Facebook for direct bank transfers.

“(But he) was bandaged up before radiotherapy even started,” the woman said.

“She (the mother) was sharing the fundraiser numerous times a day. Tagging all sorts of business(es),” the anonymous donor said.

The woman said she “felt disgusted” when she heard of the allegations.

How Michelle Bodzsar allegedly asked for money

A parent at the boy’s school said she received a group Facebook message from another concerned parent telling them about the child’s condition and called for donations to a bank account.

The parent, who wished to remain anonymous, raised concerns but others in the group “said they’ve donated a significant amount”.

She said she spoke with her children after being made aware of the child’s condition to learn Ms Bodzsar had visited the school and spoken with students.

“My kids just said they have to look after him when he comes back,” the parent said.

“I feel sorry for the teachers who heard from the parent.

“Everyone is just really shocked.”

The parent said it was a tight-knit school community and feared what effect the allegations about the family’s actions would have on students and any future fundraising efforts.

“Now if someone else in the future gets sick, people might not believe them. It’s just awful.

“Everyone is worried about their children.”

The parent said they were yet to receive correspondence from the school.

Michelle Bodzsar’s Port Adelaide court appearance

Late on Friday, Ms Bodzsar faced Port Adelaide Magistrates Court by video link from the police cells next door.

When a police prosecutor accused her and her husband of securing $60,000 by falsely claiming their son had cancer, she replied “$60,000?” and shook her head.

When police expressed fears she would interfere with investigations by accessing her social media or bank accounts if bailed, Ms Bodzsar audibly scoffed in response.

Lawyers for Ms Bodzsar and Mr Miller said the charges would be “strongly contested’’.

Magistrate Alison Adair said she was prepared to consider Mr Miller’s application for home-detention bail.

“Having read the allegations, it appears that this defendant is less involved than the other defendant in this offending,” she said.

Ms Bodzsar has been remanded in custody until next month.