Woman who claimed to be Madeleine McCann starts fundraiser to get 'back on her feet'

The woman who claimed to be Madeleine McCann has set up a fundraiser to get ‘back on her feet’, saying she feels ‘shameful’ but needs ‘help’.

Julia Wendell hit headlines after claiming she was Madeleine McCann, the British girl who disappeared from her parents' apartment during a holiday to Portugal in 2007.

Wendell, who also goes by the names of Julia Faustyna and Julia Wandelt, even appeared on Dr Phil, where she revealed she was waiting on a set of DNA results to settle the debate once and for all.

However, the results ended up confirming she was the child of her mum and dad back in Poland.

Wendell's representative and psychic medium, Dr. Fia Johansson, told Radar Online: "She is absolutely 100 percent from Poland.

"She is a small percentage of Lithuanian and Russian, but the test results show she is Polish.

"We learned a few things, one being that Julia’s mum is in fact now believed to be her mum, so she is not Madeleine McCann.

"They’re not 100 percent but they believe that Julia’s mum is in fact her mum. They’re questioning her father’s side."

Wendell also previously claimed to have been subject to sexual assault as a child, with Dr Johansson alleging that she was forced to take '35 pills from the age of seven'.

Dr Phil/CBS

The medium said at the time that she believed the man who allegedly sexually abused Wendell was linked to the McCann case, saying: "Julia had all the birthmarks as Madeleine McCann which I believe is God and the universe’s way of wanting us to get close to the man who sexually abused her, expose him, and his possible ties to the McCann case."

Now it appears that Wendell has created a public fundraiser to help raise money for legal fees and therapy, with a post on an Instagram account bearing her name saying: “I feel so shameful for asking you for this kind of help but I need to find a good lawyer, therapist... I really need your help but if you don’t want to help I will understand.

“I created this fundraiser because many kind people wrote me that I should do this because it’s a possibility for me to pay for lawyer and therapy... Thank you and please, don't’ be rude, I always reused taking money but I know that many of you want to help me.”

Go Get Funding

In the fundraiser’s description, Wendell acknowledged that the ‘media frenzy’ surrounding her story had been ‘hectic and overwhelming for everyone’.

She said she felt ‘isolated’ during her recent trip to the United States, but had now returned home to Poland, where she was ‘trying to return to a somewhat normal life’ with her boyfriend and pet cat.

“I am being met with vicious untrue statements and outright lies pertaining to my character,” Wendell wrote.

“I need to get back on my feet, I need to be able to get myself to a place where I can return to the work force and thrive in the career I choose. In order to do that I need support around me such as lawyers and professionals.

“Most importantly, I really want to be happy and safe and work through all I was subjected to in youth and young adulthood.

"Alongside this, I while in the States felt I had a reality shift in what I am most passionate about in life. I want to help people, and possibly go back to school. Getting me back on my feet will be the beginning of this.”

Instagram/@amijuliawandelt

Wendell said people had already reached out to her to ask how they could help, but initially declined offers, not ‘wanting to take people’s money’.

"But many people wrote me and they said that creating this would be very helpful for me and hopefully I can start working towards getting me on my feet where I can then make certain decisions for myself,” she continued.

“I may choose to retain some legal advice, which of course is costly. Every little helps, and will be so genuinely appreciated.

“Support and help I have received over the last few days have been overwhelming and beautiful and I am so extremely grateful for each person who has reached out.”

So far, €181.00 (£158) has been raised.