WALLINGFORD, Conn. — Police say a Connecticut man shaved his head and took weight loss pills to convince people he had stage 3 brain cancer and collect thousands in donations.

Tyler Tomer, of Wallingford, was charged Wednesday with first-degree larceny and first-degree larceny by defrauding a public community.

Police say an investigation started in May after they received complaints that a man claiming to have cancer was collecting donations at benefits in his honor.

Police say there have been multiple benefits for the 29-year-old Tomer in Connecticut and Kansas. They say medical records determined he was never diagnosed with cancer.

Tomer allegedly accepted at least $22,000.

He is being held on $250,000 bond and is due in court Feb. 17. It’s not clear if he has an attorney who can comment on the charges.