‘Psychic’ Gamblers Bilked Woman Out of $3M in ‘Cursed’ Money
Two play Miami “fortune tellers” conned a gullible victim out of to a greater extent than $3 million by claiming her money was “cursed” and would make to be “spiritually cleansed” via a special healing ritual. Even to a greater extent incredibly, the unnamed victim was a financial advisor, according to court of law documents.
Unbeknownst to the victim, the orphic rite involved numerous high-stakes transactions at the Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas, which is i way of life of “cleansing” money.
This week, a federal try sentenced Samantha Stevens, 51, and her husband, Michael Saul Guzman, 42, to 30 and 32 months, respectively, for money laundering. The duo took a plea sell to swerve more serious charges of wire humbug and conspiracy that came with sentences of upward to 20 years.
‘Cross My Palm With $3.1M’
The courtyard heard that Stanley Smith Stevens styled herself as a psychic mass medium and healer who was blest with powers to transfer curses affecting her clients’ personal lives and relationships.
Stevens first of all met the dupe in her “psychic booth” around 15 years ago, according to court of justice documents, and she became a client.
In or around Sept 2010, Smitty Stevens explained to the dupe that all her problems could live explained past a imprecate that had been placed on her kinsfolk because its fate was “dirty.”
Stevens also told the dupe her father’s psyche was “trapped before the gates of heaven.” This wasn’t as high-risk as it sounded, she consoled, because she could take this impediment to his salvation by cleansing to a greater extent of his bemire money, according to homage documents.
However, she cautioned that unsuccessful person to provide to a greater extent money would almost certainly final result inwards further ill luck for her family.
In 2016, the victim informed George Stevens that she had bleed come out of cash. What small she had left hand she needful to appear after her sickly mother, she said, per courtroom filings. At this point, Stanley Smith Stevens bust away contact.
The dupe later radius to her lawyer, who contacted authorities. Wallace Stevens and Guzman were indicted past a federal grand jury inward Dec 2020.
‘Religious’ Rituals
Stevens argued in royal court that the ceremonies were an verbal expression of her organized religion as a individual of Romani heritage, citing her First Amendment rights.
US Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres was not purchasing it. The First Amendment is non a shield against committing a crime, and in that location were “plenty alternatives for Stanley Smith Stevens to do her organized religion without piquant inwards a connive to defraud,” he added, as reported past Miami New Times.
Guzman, who also styles himself as a “psychic expert” on Instagram, received a more or less yearner doom than his wife because of his hip-hop sheet, which includes assault and battery and dose offenses.
The partner off were also ordered to compensate $3.2 meg inward regaining to the victim.