The Austrian police are hunting for a ‘shaman’ fortuneteller who scammed her victims out of a treasure trove of jewels, Rolexes and gold worth a fortune and have found millions in cash in her safe.
Named only as Austrian citizen Mariana M., 44, due to strict local privacy laws, the woman, who also went by Amela, has gone on the run, with the Austrian authorities issuing a European arrest warrant for her.
Cops said they found money, jewellery and gold worth over EUR 10 million (GBP 8.32 million) in the woman’s home in Moedling, on the outskirts of the Austrian capital Vienna.
Mariana M.’s 29-year-old son, not named, was arrested and is being held in custody in the town of Wiener Neustadt on suspicion of being an accessory to fraud.
The Austrian authorities believe that she defrauded victims in Austria, Germany and Switzerland.
According to the police, meticulous investigations carried out by the employees of the Lower Austrian State Criminal Police Office have “solved one of the largest fraud cases in Lower Austria”.
Officials presented the seized jewels and cash to the Ministry of the Interior, Gerhard Karner, on Monday, 10th February.
The authorities had found EUR 4.1 million (GBP 3.4 million) in cash in her safe, which also contained CHF 2.1 million (GBP 1.84 million).
In one case, the ‘shaman’ reportedly told one victim that she could foresee their death.
In order to break this alleged curse, the suspect then demanded a high six-figure sum in euros for “cleansing rituals”.
After the victim paid the accused more than EUR 730,000 (GBP 608,000) in several instalments, ‘Amela’ broke off contact with them, with another woman informing them by telephone that the ‘shaman’ had fallen into a severe coma due to the ‘cleansing ritual’.
State Police Director Franz Popp said: “In a world where many people are looking for answers to life’s essential questions, profiteers who claim to have supernatural powers have established themselves.
“These self-proclaimed gurus or spiritual advisors promise healing, happiness or sometimes even contact with the deceased.
“But behind the esoteric facades, there are often tough business interests. They exploit the trust of their victims, who are in emotional or financial distress and are looking for help and support.”
Interior Minister Karner said: “My urgent appeal to the population: Be alert and show a healthy dose of suspicion. Caution is the mother of all safety!”
The authorities have urged other victims to come forward.
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Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
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