Confessions from a Reality Show Drama Queen: One of The Real World: DC housemates has admitted to faking cancer to get attention from a former boyfriend. Erika Lauren Wasilewski, a 22-year-old Illinois native and Columbia College graduate, pretended to be in a deadly battle against skin cancer to win back an ex flame.

The gossip first started when Shabooty.com got the scoop about Erika’s past.

“…I was the boyfriend that broke up with her. She actually faked some sort of skin cancer for close to 9 months. Everybody in our hometown believed her….”

Erika confirmed the allegations are true in a new interview with TimeOut: “Um, there is some truth to what you’re hearing. Yes, it happened. Yes, I regret it. If I could take it back, I would. I was going through some severe emotional problems at the time. I was lashing out and craving attention wherever I could.”