Mother of all cons exposes charity scandal

Megan Bhari's tale of living with a brain tumour captivated the nation, inspiring her mother Jean to launch the Believe in Magic charity. But when a group of parents began questioning Megan's diagnosis, a web of deceit unraveled.

Deception uncovered

Following Megan's death from a heart issue in 2018, an inquest found no evidence of the brain tumour that had defined her story publicly. Some believe Megan was a victim of Munchausen syndrome by proxy. Investigator Jamie Bartlett concluded she was sick, 'but not of the thing she claimed, nor to the severity she claimed.' An inquest revealed she had fatty liver disease and received treatment for opioid addiction.

The charity's profile continued to grow as Megan's health was said to worsen. In 2015, supporters were told she urgently required specialist treatment in the United States. Public appeals reportedly raised around £120,000 within days. However, it was those fundraising efforts that triggered serious questions, when suspicious parents managed to track down where exactly Megan and Jean were in the USA. and it transpired they were not in a hospital, but on a luxury Disney World holiday.