Complete Guide to ABC’s Scamanda Series: Premiere Date and More Insights
If you’re like Us, you were captivated by the “Scamanda” podcast that launched in May 2023. Fortunately, an ABC docuseries shares the same title and delves even deeper into this extraordinary case.
Similar to the podcast, the Scamanda series follows Amanda Riley, whose blog detailing her encounters with stage 3 blood cancer touched the lives of many. At first glance, Riley seemed like a typical wife and mother committed to her Christian beliefs. However, when investigative producer Nancy Moscatiello received an anonymous tip about Riley, everything began to unravel.
“Soon, Amanda’s own words may lead to her downfall,” hints the official synopsis for Scamanda.
Continue reading to discover everything you need to know about Scamanda:
Is There a Trailer for ‘Scamanda?’
Indeed. The official teaser for the series showcases snippets of interviews with various individuals who believed Riley’s cancer claims. One contributor refers to her as “a cherished young Christian woman bravely fighting an unearned battle.”
The trailer then portrays the same community that supported Riley coming to terms with the fact that she was never sick, realizing their generosity had been exploited.
“Thousands of people donated money to her,” one witness recalls, while another comments that Riley’s family “raised $100,000” to assist with nonexistent medical costs.
“What surprised me was the lengths she went to in order to fake cancer,” another participant reflects.
Did Amanda Riley Commit a Crime?
Amanda’s case was shocking not just because of the deceit but because it was also illegal. After soliciting donations for medical expenses that didn’t exist, she admitted guilt to wire fraud in 2021. Currently, she is serving a five-year prison term.
Is Nancy Moscatiello Involved With the ‘Scamanda’ Series?
Yes, Moscatiello played a key role. She was the one who transformed an anonymous tip into a five-year investigation of Riley and served as an executive producer for the “Scamanda” podcast. She appears in the trailer for the series and has been promoting it on social media.
How Will the ‘Scamanda’ Series Differ From the Podcast?
If you tuned into the “Scamanda” podcast, you’re already familiar with its detailed depiction of Riley’s deceptions and the ways she sustained them: shaving her head to imitate chemotherapy, staging believable photos of herself in hospitals, and even suing Moscatiello for defamation upon discovering her investigation. The series aims to provide additional insights through new interviews with former friends of Riley, insights from a neuropsychologist examining motivations behind scams, and perspectives from law enforcement and IRS investigators involved in the case.
Scamanda will also include communications between Riley and podcast host Charlie Webster, along with materials collected by Moscatiello during her investigation.
Does Amanda Riley Have Kids?
Amanda is the mother of two sons, Carter and Connor, whom she shares with her husband, Cory Riley. She referred to her children as “miracles,” asserting that she shouldn’t have been able to give birth to healthy babies while allegedly undergoing cancer treatment. Amanda and Cory remain married, and Cory has not faced charges linked to Amanda’s offenses.
Is Amanda Riley’s Blog Still Active?
The blog where Amanda falsely chronicled her cancer journey, titled “Lymphoma Can Suck It,” has been removed from the internet. She posted about her cancer experience online between 2012 and 2019 before being charged with wire fraud in 2020.
When Does ‘Scamanda’ Premiere?
After an initial premiere date of October 2024 was canceled due to scheduling clashes with Monday Night Football, the docuseries will now debut on Thursday, January 30, 2025, at 9 p.m. ET, with an additional three episodes airing on subsequent Thursdays. Episodes will be available for streaming on Hulu.
ABC moved the hidden camera series What Would You Do? from Mondays to Wednesdays, making way for six Monday Night Football simulcasts that pushed Scamanda and other shows like Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and Press Your Luck to 2025.
