A man who pretended he had brain cancer to swindle cash from his Calgary friends has pleaded guilty to fraud.

A fundraiser with local musicians was held for Kristopher Cook in July 2011, raising almost $7,500.

Friends say they did his work, paid his rent and took him to and from the hospital, though no one ever went inside with him.

The 28-year-old later disappeared.

He was tracked down in Victoria and brought back to Calgary earlier this month.

Cook will be back in court in November.

He was assaulted at the Calgary Remand Centre last week. Cook’s lawyer, Joel Chevrefils said his client received a concussion, a broken nose, black eyes and a bruised spleen.