Arizona man, 49, arrested for ‘faking he had terminal ALS for free wheelchair and perks’

An Arizona man has been arrested after he allegedly faked having terminal Lou Gehrig’s disease to scam sympathetic donors into giving him a free motorized wheelchair, free truck repairs, and fundraise for a $9,000 speech device. 

Christopher Wade Nelson, 49, was arrested on July 29 following a seven-month investigation on multiple felony charges including fraud, aggravated identity theft, forgery and witness tampering.

At the time of his arrest he was out on pre-trial release for pending charges related to another similar scam in 2016 where he allegedly faked having pancreatic cancer to defraud his high school friends for donations.

In that case he reportedly received $30,000 in donations from high school alumni over a five-year period and sent e-mails saying he died by suicide, according to ABC15. 

After being released he fraudulently claimed to have Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS) to dupe people into giving him free perks, gifts, and thousands of dollars, and to avoid court, officials say.

ALS is a progressive nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control. 

Police say Nelson engaged in the schemes between May 2018 and May 2020 to delay his pending criminal trial.

Police say he used Instagram to ask the owner of an auto shop to repair his 1951 Chevy truck for free so he could take ‘one last ride’ due to his ‘terminal ALS’.

He also reportedly ‘fabricated, forged and with intent to defraud, documents allegedly from Mayo Clinic Physicians, submitted through his legal counsel…faking a terminal illness to avoid court appearances.’

The Mayo clinic says it did not sign the documents related to his illness. 

He also used social media to get a physical therapist and real ALS patients to conduct a $9,000 fundraiser to get him a speech device.

In February 2020 when Nelson appeared in court, he arrived in a motorized wheelchair and his attorney said he could no longer speak.

But police surveillance video of his home from July shows Nelson walking and he was reportedly seen washing and driving a car, doing yard work, heavy lifting and dancing, cops say.

Scottsdale police determined he is ‘healthy, mobile and utilizes verbal communication skills clearly and easily’.

Now Nelson remains in custody on new charges, in addition to violating his pre-trial release conditions.

Police say Nelson was checked out by jail doctors who confirmed he does not have ALS. 

His wife was also arrested but has been released.

Robert Ellingson, the owner of auto shop Big Happy Rods in Mesa said he was scammed by Nelson and repaired his truck for free.

‘Somebody hit me up claiming to be his daughter, he had ALS and didn’t have long to live. He was tinkering with an old truck he had forever — trying to get it running, but couldn’t,’ Ellingson said to Fox10.

Ellingson he often takes on pro bono projects and donated parts and his labor to Nelson after learning of the diagnosis.

‘It’s just a slap in the face when somebody’s lying about it,’ he said.

‘This weekend, I got hit up on one of the parts I have for sale, and the guy hit me up and asked is there a disabled veterans discount. I said, “Yeah, if you have the proper credentials,”‘ he added.

Police are asking anyone who may have been defrauded by Nelson to contact their Financial Crimes Unit at 480-312-8141.