Naman Shrestha
Based on the eponymous podcast that became Apple Podcasts’ most shared show of 2023, ABC’s ‘Scamanda’ is a 4-part docuseries that chronicles the case of Amanda Riley, who faked her cancer diagnosis and ended up garnering national attention through her disturbing story, which she falsely presented as a tragic and inspirational tale of survival. Eventually, her scam came to light, and she was brought to justice for playing with the feelings of many people and collecting thousands of dollars in the name of her fake treatments. Her former friends, Lisa and Steven Berry, reportedly played a crucial role in bringing out the truth about Amanda. As the couple featured on the show, they shared their experiences with the scammer and how they found out about the scam.
Lisa and Steve Berry Saw Through Amanda’s Fake Cancer Scheme Early On
Back in 2010, Lisa and Steve Berry were good friends of Amanda Riley and her husband, Cory Riley. As a matter of fact, the Berrys even used to keep Jessa — Cory’s daughter from his previous marriage to Aletta Bernal — with them when the Rileys wanted someone to take care of her while they went outside to run errands or spend time together. In one such instance in 2010, Lisa and Steve were shocked and saddened when Amanda broke out the news of her Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis to them while picking up Jessa from their humble abode. Being good friends, they did not hesitate to help Amanda and Cory financially during such a tough time.
After helping them pay for expensive life-saving blood tests, Lisa saw Amanda post a bunch of “glamorous photos of herself taken by a professional photographer,” after which her suspicions about the “cancer” began. In the coming weeks and months, the Berrys were able to see through Amanda’s lies. They found the entire situation more disturbing due to the fact that Steve’s late first wife had fought a long battle against cancer before succumbing to it. When they couldn’t take her lies anymore, the couple broke off their friendship with the Rileys. Little did they know that in 2012, Amanda would fake cancer yet again and gain the sympathy of even larger groups of people in the community.
Lisa and Steve were adamant about doing something about the situation and deterring Amanda from taking advantage of others. By then, she had gained popularity by blogging about her fake cancer journey and even sharing pictures of her in the hospital getting treatments. However, Lisa uncovered the truth behind Amanda’s situation and reached out to investigative producer Nancy Moscatiello via email, telling her about Amanda’s blogs and the cancer scam. Things escalated from there, and eventually, Amanda pleaded guilty to wire fraud in October 2021 and was sentenced to five years in prison in May 2022.
Lisa and Steve Berry Have Found Comfort in Their Church and Religion
Lisa Berry was raised in Los Gatos, California, alongside her three younger siblings. While her father was an insurance company executive, her mother was a homemaker who spent most of her time with the children. As Lisa grew older, she regularly moved between Los Gatos and Saratoga. After graduating from San Jose State University with flying colors, she worked in the high-tech and medical fields as a business administrator for several years. Since she grew up alongside religious parents who were devoted to the church, Lisa was also aware of the warmth that the church community provides, especially to the volunteers.
So, upon exploring Catholicism in 2014, she found her calling and began volunteering in her Las Gatos church, where she took on multiple responsibilities. Apart from being a part of the hospitality ministry, she also led bible study groups at her house as well as the church upon the instructions of the pastor. In 2017, she registered as a parishioner at the Five Wounds Portuguese National Parish in San Jose, California. Hoping to find a ministry for herself at the new church, she attended daily mass until she and her husband got involved in the Newlywed Group in the summer of 2018.
Unfortunately, the group was discontinued after the COVID-19 pandemic struck. During the pandemic, she took up more important roles in the church as she helped out in organizing and hosting events. Currently, she is a co-leader of the Hospitality Committee of the Five Wounds Portuguese National Parish, where she also serves as the volunteer personal assistant of Father Silveira. Not only does she host events and private dinners, but Lisa also live-streams Masses to the devotees at home in order to keep them connected to the church.
Lisa and Steve Berry are Proud Parents Based in San Jose These Days
Both hailing from Las Gatos, California, Lisa and Steve Berry have spent decades at each other’s side and have been through thick and thin. Love and respect are not the only two factors that have kept them glued together; their only daughter, Eleanor Muhawi, has also played a part ever since her birth. In 2014, Eleanor was enrolled in Catholic Middle School, after which she went to high school at Valley Christian Schools in San Jose. After passing out in 2020, she pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and a Bachelor of Music degree in Organ Performance from the University of California, Los Angeles.
In 2022, Lisa got the unique opportunity to meet the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. She took to social media and shared her experience: “I had the honor of meeting the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, today at a lunch reception following the Mass that he attended at our church. He is such a lovely man with a strong faith in God and a lot of charisma. He even took this selfie of us.” The following year, the Berry family seemingly went on a trip to Turkey and Greece. Supporting her daughter’s musical passion, Lisa proudly shared Eleanor’s UCLA Senior Organ Recital in August 2024 on her social media account. Residents of San Jose, California, Lisa and Steve Berry lead a fulfilling life as their daughter keeps making them proud.
Read More: Amanda Riley: Where is the Scammer Now?
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