A girl claiming to be a ‘shaman’ is accused of swindling hundreds of thousands of kilos from her victims using her ‘fortune-telling powers’.
Gold, jewellery and money value greater than £8.3 million were uncovered at the house of Marina M in Mödling, near the Austrian capital of Vienna.
The 44-year-old persuaded people of her supernatural abilities, going so far as convincing a lady that an in depth relative was cursed and that she could foresee their death, police said.
To interrupt this alleged curse, the accused then demanded a six-figure sum for ‘cleansing rituals’.
After the victim handed over greater than £600,000 to Marina M in several installments, she broke off contact together with her.
One other woman eventually phoned her, telling her that the ‘shaman’ had fallen right into a severe coma as a consequence of the ‘cleansing ritual’.
Police imagine Mariana M can have defrauded people in Austria, Germany and Switzerland and authorities are currently working to trace down more of her victims.
After issuing a a European arrest warrant, officers are hunting the girl, who also goes by the name Amela.
Her 29 year-old son was also arrested and is in custody within the town of Wiener Neustadt.
Pictures shared by Austrian authorities released pictures of gold jewellery and pearls found at her home.
Director of police in Lower Austria, Franz Popp, said: ‘In a world through which many persons are on the lookout for answers to the essential questions of life, profiteers have established themselves who claim to own supernatural powers.
‘Self-proclaimed gurus or spiritual advisors promise healing, happiness or sometimes even contact with the deceased.
‘But behind the esoteric facades there are sometimes tough business interests.
‘They exploit the trust of their victims, who’re in emotional or financial distress and are on the lookout for help and support.’
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