FOLLOWUP: Police confirm ‘open case’ investigating Tracy Dart fraud allegations

We’ve been checking daily with Seattle Police regarding fraud allegations against Tracy Dart, the West Seattleite who is alleged to have lied about her reported three-time cancer fight. (Here’s our report from last week.) Back on Friday, a WSB commenter claimed to have filed a case (read the comment here); we tried to confirm with SPD, but they said the fraud unit was already closed for the day and they had no information about any possible case, yet. We checked again two hours ago, and while no information had arrived yet, we just got this followup from Det. Patrick Michaud:

… We now have an open case on this matter. Detectives have received several tips from community members that we are reviewing as a part of an ongoing case. I can’t go into detail about where the case stands at this point, but we are asking anyone with information to please call 206-625-5011 and speak with an officer.

Neither Dart nor her family has spoken publicly yet; we have reached out with repeated requests for comment. More to come …

Nikki February 8, 2016 (11:24 am)

Hoping that this case goes to court and she is prosecuted to the max! What an unthinkable act of selfishness. A real slap in the face to those that donate to someones cause when it is believed that they have cancer. Shame on her and I hope she pays a price for taking advantage in such an outrageous way!

H February 8, 2016 (11:52 am)

Nikki, I so agree.

Smokeycretin9 February 8, 2016 (11:59 am)

I hope she wears a raincoat if she ever shows her face in West Seattle again, because I foresee everyone spitting on her as she walks down the sidewalk.

Jennifer Reed February 8, 2016 (12:03 pm)

As a 2 time cancer survivor my initial reaction was to get angry! But now although I hope she’s prosecuted and pays restitution, I realize I also pity her.

JanS February 8, 2016 (12:17 pm)

Jennifer Reed, I agree

Another Jennifer February 8, 2016 (12:57 pm)

I also agree with Jennifer Reed. At least the funds al went to Komen, however I’ll-gained. But it spitting on her? Really? Are we that classless a society?

Neighbor February 8, 2016 (1:19 pm)

The checks made out to Komen, or paid directly to Komen, did go to them. But large amounts of money were also paid to Tracy herself and/or to cover her personal expenses including rent and bar tabs.
Paul February 8, 2016 (8:48 pm)

That’s the problem, not all the money did go to sgk. I deposited money straight to her personal acct.
- StillStunned February 8, 2016 (9:22 pm)
  
  Paul, I do hope you consider contacting the police if you haven’t already. They need to hear from people who gave funds in this manner.

H February 8, 2016 (1:02 pm)

Well said Jennifer R. :)

Sean February 8, 2016 (1:04 pm)

I called the police number provided above. You need to call the Fraud Division. The number above won’t be able to do anything for you.

Scubafrog February 8, 2016 (1:29 pm)

She belongs in prison. For several years. Disgusting.

captsteve February 8, 2016 (1:57 pm)

SPD won’t cut it for me. I’m trying to rope in the FBI.

Smokeycretin9 February 8, 2016 (2:08 pm)

I just meant it as a figure of speach, meaning at how mad West Seattle is at her. Not condoning anything like that.

High Point neighbor February 8, 2016 (2:45 pm)

I’m not giving her any excuse as horrible as this is, she needs help. Someone get her help.

Another Jennifer February 8, 2016 (3:13 pm)

Wow, my phone really mangled my spelling and grammar! Yikes. Thanks for the info, I thought from an earlier article that she didn’t pocket any the money. They should definitely go after that with the full force of the law. So sad when someone betrays trust like that. Makes you wonder what goes on in some people’s minds.

West Sea resident February 8, 2016 (3:24 pm)

As a 2 time cancer survivor, I find this deplorable. Tracy is obviously not mentally healthy and I hope she gets some help. For those of us who have endured this horrible disease and continue to struggle with the outcome, I can’t stress enough how much we still need to help one another. It’s really sad how we have to worry about where donations are going but don’t let this stop us from being there for one another.

JanS February 9, 2016 (1:38 am)

West Sea Resident, I so agree. The danger of this is that people, neighbors, now won’t trust, and will simply not help. We need to remember, especially since this Saturday is Neighbor Appreciation Day. West Seattle is unique, and I have found the people in this community generous when I needed help the most. I hope it continues.

Anonymous February 8, 2016 (3:52 pm)

I’m still in complete shock. I’ve seen her cry so many times about not being able to pay bills and so many great people would cover her bills for her to prevent the additional stress and are all feeling extremely hurt now. How can you trust anyone after being betrayed to such an extreme?

JLA February 8, 2016 (4:16 pm)

I am sick and tired of her mental health being used as an excuse for this. Maybe she is mentally ill, or more probably, she is just a really horrible person.

WenG February 8, 2016 (4:30 pm)

Righteous indignation doesn’t address the likelihood of collecting from a sick woman in a hospital bed, which is nil. She scammed everyone in her path. Komen collected. No one else will. Let that be a lesson.

WsEd February 8, 2016 (6:45 pm)

Great, So the money goes to Komen for “cancer awareness” to support more parties. Very little of that money goes to support patients or research. Anyone remember the big expose from a few years back.

AJP February 8, 2016 (6:56 pm)

I knew someone like this. Major whoppers that were, individually, very interesting and also heart-string tugging. After a while they started to add up and I wondered…then she “got cancer”, similar situation but not as much money. So many lies. Lies upon lies. Definitely mentally ill.

Jason February 8, 2016 (7:19 pm)

The worst part of this crime is how it’s made good people start thinking twice about helping someone in need. Taking money is one thing but taking someone’s compassion is just really gross.I hope everyone that contributed can get through this without losing their desire to help people in need and finding themselves suspicious of everyone that needs help. What a rotten crime.

70 x 7 times February 8, 2016 (8:21 pm)

Innocent until proven guilty. Think twice, yes. Still give and support the worthy causes that reflect the best of humanity as the good karma of those who showed compassion will continue to ripple out into the world. If deceptive and/or mentally ill, the the good karma still ripples. Regardless, hope truth is revealed, justice is served and people who need help continue to get the support and love they need. We humans are capable if incredible good: let’s continue to rise to the occasion when need be.

Shaniqua Walker February 8, 2016 (8:57 pm)

She was a very good con artist. Maybe she should run for public office.

Bob L. February 9, 2016 (6:50 am)

We are fortunate to live in a city where there are many effective ways to help support cancer patients. For example, one could donate to the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center or your employer’s employee assistance fund. Less of your donation would go to charity administration costs and more to directly support research or patient support.

knightress February 9, 2016 (9:16 am)

The statement made by Susan G. Komen foundation seems not only misleading, but I’m unsure how they justify their certainty that Tracy donated “all funds collected for SGK”. I’ve watched people hand over envelopes with cash, I have ben present on more than one occasion where she has asked for checks to be made out in her name. In the most simple of terms the statement made by the Komen foundation is baseless in their assumption. The only thing that they should say is that they have never directly given money/services to Tracey, that all funds donated through the SGK website went directly to the foundation and that they believe that all checks made out to SGK on behalf of “Team Tracy” were received. The amount of money donated to the foundation over the 10 years that she’s walked, by Tracy and her team, rolls out to just a little over the cost of participation ($2300 per entrant, discount when you register as a team). She did good but nothing stunning when you start dividing by the number of years and the 21-50 walkers per year on the team with her. The only thing that would be surprising is if she didn’t skim money off the top. The idea that she did this for the attention and that indicates that she’s somehow mentally ill is terribly insulting to all of the people that she took advantage of financially. It’s not like the money from fundraisers just fell into her hands and she didn’t know how to back out of her game, it was designed that way. In addition to personal fundraisers there were those of us who would give her money for her cell phone bill when she couldn’t pay it because she couldn’t work because “cancer”. She did all of this because she didn’t want to work at a job. I’m sure that the attention was delightful, the events that she was invited to, hanging out with various sports teams and their cheerleaders, being asked to speak at various events. Tracy is sick, she has cirrhosis of the liver, (guess we won’t be seeing her at the bars anymore). She did that to herself. I don’t feel sorry for Tracy at all, I feel sympathetic and heartbroken for her friends that she took advantage of, people who dropped other important things in life to care for Tracy or keep her company or pay for her whatever-it-was-that-day that needed to be paid for. I’ve known Tracy for a long time, but I wouldn’t call her a friend, simply someone I’ve been friendly with. I cared about what she was going through because I have people who are very dear friends who are friends with her, some of them from high school days with her. She is a liar and a thief and she’s shown nothing but selfishness and disregard for those who put the most time and love into her. What now? Now she’s just an average middle age woman with a weak resume that will have a difficult time finding work and I’m guessing not a lot of friends around who will want to help out.

RatedPG February 9, 2016 (11:17 am)

I could not have said that better myself. I have zero compassion for this woman. And to the people who keep saying things like “innocent until proven guilty”? Well? She has admitted it – not publicly, but to some of her former friends. She has admitted that it was all a lie and that she has no excuse. My heart goes out to the people who gave her their time and love, and my heart really goes out to her family. They’re victims too.

bsmomma February 9, 2016 (1:44 pm)

This is a crappy ordeal for EVERYONE involved. I find it sad that no statement has been made. I know an apology won’t change anything or fix anything. But publicly acknowledging the harm she has done would be at least something. I tried to have compassion. But it gets harder and harder and less and less.

Alki beacher February 9, 2016 (2:17 pm)

It’s difficult to feel compassion for someone who won’t admit that they hurt people.

WSince86 February 9, 2016 (2:48 pm)

Just curious as to why anyone would believe the current ‘cirrhosis of the liver’ diagnosis? Is this another ploy for money and sympathy?

Gyngersnap February 9, 2016 (4:04 pm)

Cirrhosis of the liver diagnosis? I haven’t heard this. Is Tracy saying that she has this liver disease, or is this info coming from somewhere else?
- WSB February 9, 2016 (4:08 pm)
  
  This was in our original story (which is linked in this one).
Alki beacher February 10, 2016 (10:20 am)

I believe that Tracys family taking her to the hospital, where she was diagnosed for cirrhosis, is what started the discovery of her fraudulent claims about having cancer. She got caught faking sick because she ended up sick for real.

belle February 11, 2016 (5:38 pm)

Yes, Alki beacher. As the doctors were asking questions about her cancer history, friends and family were also being questioned about whether or not they ever had gone into the hospital with her for chemo or lumpectomys. The doctors then tested her for any signs of chemo or radiation in her system, or scarring from ports or surgery. There were no signs of anything.