Sympathy card foils fake death money scam

If you’re going to extort money from your employer by saying your wife died from cancer, make sure she doesn’t get the card at home expressing condolences on her death.

That’s what Hudson police say happened in the case of Scott Wellington, a 31-year-old Greenville man, who is facing two counts of theft by deception for allegedly telling his employer, C&M Machine Products in Hudson, that his wife was seriously ill with cancer with the intent of getting money out of them.

After being told of his wife’s illness, the company donated $7,000 to the Wellington family. According to police, Wellington then told his company his wife had died, prompting a sympathy card to be sent to their residence.

The the ruse was rumbled when the wife received the card at their home. She called the authorities to let them know she was in fact still alive and never had cancer. Bail for Wellington was set at $2,500 cash or surety. Wellington is being held for arraignment on Monday.