It was a story that made headlines when authorities in San Clemente California claimed 28-year-old Ashley Bemis lied to others to obtain donations of food, blankets and other items, allegedly for victims of the California wildfire dubbed the “Holy Fire.”

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Lieutenant Mike Peters of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department alleges Bemis used social media to attract contributions from “kind-hearted people” when she invented a fictitious firefighter husband named “Shane,” along with an imaginary unit of his colleagues who she claimed were risking their lives to extinguish the wildfire.

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“Firefighters are out on the line fighting this incredible fire, and they want to help. And she preyed on that,” he alleges.

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Ashley, who has not been charged in connection with the investigation admits she made it all up. Watch the video above to learn details. Then tune in to Dr. Phil’s exclusive interview with her on Thursday to hear why Ashley says she did it.

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Woman Accused Of Soliciting Donations For Fictitious Firefighters Claims She Was Trying To Help Real Firefighters