{"id":4102,"date":"2026-05-31T06:18:18","date_gmt":"2026-05-31T06:18:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/teens-faked-brain-tumour-that-duped-thousands-in-true-story-behind-mother-of-all-cons\/"},"modified":"2026-05-31T06:18:18","modified_gmt":"2026-05-31T06:18:18","slug":"teens-faked-brain-tumour-that-duped-thousands-in-true-story-behind-mother-of-all-cons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/teens-faked-brain-tumour-that-duped-thousands-in-true-story-behind-mother-of-all-cons\/","title":{"rendered":"Teen&#8217;s faked brain tumour that duped thousands in true story behind Mother Of All Cons"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_d097ad\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">Unknown to its celeb backers, a charity for sick children was not all it seemed. And as its founder appealed for cash for her own daughter&#8217;s brain tumour, things began to unravel<\/h2>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37217936\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Jean O'Brien with her daughter Megan Bhari\" loading=\"eager\" sizes=\"(max-width: 508px) 508px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37217936.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/2_566198TITLEThe-Mother-of-All-Cons.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37217936.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s508\/2_566198TITLEThe-Mother-of-All-Cons.jpg 508w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37217936.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615\/2_566198TITLEThe-Mother-of-All-Cons.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37217936.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/2_566198TITLEThe-Mother-of-All-Cons.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Jean O'Brien with her daughter Megan Bhari\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Jean O&#8217;Brien with her daughter Megan Bhari<cite aria-label=\"Image: BBC Studios\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: BBC Studios)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Believe In Magic was the much-loved charity backed by <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/one-direction\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">One Direction<\/a> that granted wishes for children diagnosed with cancer. However, a new three-part <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/bbc\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">BBC<\/a> documentary called The Mother Of All Cons will reveal how, unknown to the charity\u2019s many celebrity backers, a dark deception was taking place behind the scenes.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s the wildest, most bizarre story,\u201d says Nick Bird, a parent who investigated the charity. \u201cIt\u2019s fiction but it\u2019s actually real and it actually happened, it\u2019s bonkers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Believe In Magic was founded in 2010 by 16-year-old Megan Bhari and her mother Jean O\u2019Brien, who said Megan had been diagnosed with a brain tumour. When Megan tagged her pop heroes in her posts, they kindly helped to promote the charity.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37218007\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37218007\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Megan Bhari\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37218007.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/3_566231TITLEThe-Mother-of-All-Cons.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37218007.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/3_566231TITLEThe-Mother-of-All-Cons.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37218007.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/3_566231TITLEThe-Mother-of-All-Cons.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37218007.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/3_566231TITLEThe-Mother-of-All-Cons.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Megan helped create memories for children\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Megan helped create memories for children<cite aria-label=\"Image: BBC Studios\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: BBC Studios)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">They wore Believe In Magic charity bracelets at gigs and Louis Tomlinson even hosted a Believe In Magic Cinderella Ball at London\u2019s Natural History Museum. Together, Megan and her mum Jean helped create incredible memories for children who had been dealt life\u2019s toughest blow.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Charity events took place in Hamleys, Downing Street and even <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/buckingham-palace\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Buckingham Palace<\/a>. Naturally when Megan herself fell ill, the families who the charity had helped were willing to give back and donate their own money.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">But when Jean created an new appeal to raise \u00a3120,000, saying Megan needed lifesaving emergency treatment in 2015, Nick and another parent called Joanna Ashcroft began to realise <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/teen-17-faked-brain-tumour-22712390\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">things didn\u2019t add up<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37218010\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37218010\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Jean O'Brien\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37218010.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/4_566201TITLEThe-Mother-of-All-Cons.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37218010.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/4_566201TITLEThe-Mother-of-All-Cons.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37218010.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/4_566201TITLEThe-Mother-of-All-Cons.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37218010.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/4_566201TITLEThe-Mother-of-All-Cons.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Jean founded Believe In Magic in 2010\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Jean founded Believe In Magic in 2010<cite aria-label=\"Image: BBC Studios\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: BBC Studios)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Joanna explains, \u201cMy red flag was because of my experience with my son. I always felt that we were very unlucky that the treatment that we really wanted was in America. And it always felt when you saw an appeal that it was usually always neuroblastoma.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;So when I saw that Megan had appealed a few times to go to America and she didn\u2019t have neuroblastoma, I was interested because it was unusual. That\u2019s what made me look back to see what kind of treatment she needed. I couldn\u2019t see any kind of information about doctors or anything like that. That was a huge red flag.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Nick was also concerned but he had no idea how deep and how dark the deception ran. \u201cMe and Jo were thinking things independently,\u201d he says. \u201cThis happened within our community, our children both went through very aggressive paediatric cancer, my son died as did our friend\u2019s son.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;We\u2019re not keyboard warriors trying to find out something the police might have missed, but when Meg\u2019s appeal came about then me and friends would discuss the language that was used and the types of things that were being said that seemed very exaggerated and didn\u2019t chime with our experiences.\u201d<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37218013\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37218013\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Nick Bird\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37218013.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/4_566194TITLEThe-Mother-of-All-Cons.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37218013.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/4_566194TITLEThe-Mother-of-All-Cons.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37218013.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/4_566194TITLEThe-Mother-of-All-Cons.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37218013.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/4_566194TITLEThe-Mother-of-All-Cons.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Parent Nick Bird, who investigated the charity\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Parent Nick Bird, who investigated the charity<cite aria-label=\"Image: BBC Studios\/Jean-Louis Schuller\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: BBC Studios\/Jean-Louis Schuller)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Joanna and Nick noticed that the appeals seemed to follow a pattern and decided to wait and see if another was arranged. \u201cWe were confident there would be a next appeal,\u201d says Nick. \u201cIt seemed like there was a pattern so we said let\u2019s wait and next time it happens we\u2019ll get to the bottom of it. Those were quite fateful words.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Megan and Jean did raise the money and did go to America. However, they didn\u2019t go to a hospital, they went to Disneyland.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Nick was shocked. \u201cI\u2019m not sure I ever thought I was completely and utterly right,\u201d he says. \u201cWe never suggested that Megan didn\u2019t have anything wrong with her. For me, it was what they were purporting to say online was not true. It could be grossly exaggerated for all sorts of reasons.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">In 2017, the UK Charity Commission opened a formal statutory inquiry into Believe In Magic after discovering severe financial mismanagement and indications of misconduct. The charity\u2019s accounts were frozen and it was discovered Jean had been transferring charity money into her own bank account. Over \u00a3100,000 was missing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">However, Jean and Megan had an army of supporters who turned on Nick and Joanna.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37218015\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37218015\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.78\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Joanna Ashcroft\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37218015.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/4_566192TITLEThe-Mother-of-All-Cons.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37218015.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/4_566192TITLEThe-Mother-of-All-Cons.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37218015.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/4_566192TITLEThe-Mother-of-All-Cons.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37218015.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/4_566192TITLEThe-Mother-of-All-Cons.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Joanna Ashcroft began to realise things didn\u2019t add up\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Joanna Ashcroft began to realise things didn\u2019t add up<cite aria-label=\"Image: BBC Studios\/Jean-Louis Schuller\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: BBC Studios\/Jean-Louis Schuller)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cIt was awful,\u201d says Joanna. \u201cWe\u2019re human at the end of the day and it was really difficult to take. We wanted to make sure that this very vulnerable community was protected. I think that Jean was telling them constantly, \u2018Look what these people are doing to me.\u2019 The name calling was just venomous.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">When Megan died in 2018, Jean maintained it was a brain tumour had caused her daughter\u2019s death. However, an autopsy found no evidence of a brain tumour, stating that Megan\u2019s brain was normal. Instead the post mortem examination concluded she had died of acute cardiac arrhythmia brought on by fatty liver disease.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">In 2022, Kingston Social Services carried out a review which concluded that Megan Bhari was a victim of Fabricated or Induced Illness, also known as Munchausen by Proxy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cIt was only post Megan\u2019s death that we really started to find out that we were correct and had those things not happened, had the inquest not happened, then the narrative today would have been very different,\u201d claims Nick.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Now Joanna is hoping charges will be brought against Jean. \u201cShe got away with it,\u201d claims Joanna. \u201cI definitely tried my hardest to get the Charity Commission, the police, action fraud, then the police again to investigate. As of yet, she hasn\u2019t faced any justice, but in an ideal <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/world-news\/\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">world<\/a>, for me, she would.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The BBC repeatedly approached Jean O\u2019Brien for comment but, to date, has not received a response.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">The Mother Of All Cons, Sunday 31 May, 9pm, BBC Two<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/tv\/tv-news\/mother-cons-megan-bhari-jean-37217844\" target=\"_blank\">Source link<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Unknown to its celeb backers, a charity for sick children was not all it seemed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4103,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4102","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crime"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2_566198TITLEThe-Mother-of-All-Cons.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4102","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4102"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4102\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4102"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4102"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4102"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}