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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFortune teller accused of fraud
Mother of two claims psychic defrauded her of $136,000
Woman claimed client was cursed now barred from telling fortunes
ORLANDO, Fla. -
A Windermere fortune teller, accused of stealing nearly $136,000 from a client, is now barred from telling fortunes.
...
She is free on a $22,000 bond, but prohibited from telling fortunes until the charges are resolved.
The alleged victim, Priti Mahalanobis, said she was curious about how "Mrs. Starr" might give her insight into a relationship, so she paid $20 for a reading, then $200 for a follow-up, before draining bank accounts, a family business and a cache of jewelry.
Asked why it should be a crime to accept money from a client who willingly turned it over, Mahalanobis said, "She intended to defraud. She used lies and manipulation to continue to defraud us and made false statements also."
http://www.clickorlando.com/news/Mother-of-two-claims-psychic-defrauded-her-of-136-000/-/1637132/8495960/-/7xo50az/-/index.html
HillWilliam
(3,310 posts)The "Miss Cleo" persona lives on...
DeathToTheOil
(1,124 posts)redqueen
(115,103 posts)cthulu2016
(10,960 posts)someone who couldn't well afford them?
Would the church have been said to have "used lies and manipulation"?
Renew Deal
(81,861 posts)And there is typically no fortune telling at churches.
wtmusic
(39,166 posts)i.e. the promise of Heaven.
If Priti promised eternal life and drained her client's wealth similarly - is that fraud?
Renew Deal
(81,861 posts)not even in the broadest definition of "fortune telling."
Scuba
(53,475 posts)Renew Deal
(81,861 posts)It has nothing to do with this story and the comparisons to "fortune telling" are intentionally specious.
wtmusic
(39,166 posts)Eternal life is not a fortune? Please explain.
redqueen
(115,103 posts)not required.
The analogy is extremely weak.
wtmusic
(39,166 posts)Led to believe, in many cases, that their "donations" will influence their future?
What's the diff?
redqueen
(115,103 posts)Are you being facetious?
wtmusic
(39,166 posts)and I have no idea what you mean by your reply, although it seems like you consider the government a good judge of fortune-teller competency.
Maybe they should be licensed, like cosmetologists.
redqueen
(115,103 posts)If you don't, you're not.
That's pretty clear. You can hint and suggest and cajole and all that, and sometimes that's enough. But the evidence to support that has to be pretty strong. Strong enough that I doubt you would be able to make a case that all churches of all religions everywhere do this. Some churches, some preachers, some priests or reverends or whatever, sure... they might cross some line with their rhetoric. Most though? Please.
polly7
(20,582 posts)my donation was given with the expectation it was helping people with aid projects, local and international.
Lance_Boyle
(5,559 posts)This ruling must send chills down the spines of their Florida branch operators, as it could apply word for word to their activities.
redqueen
(115,103 posts)you'll have their lawyers after you.
Renew Deal
(81,861 posts)And shouldn't they all be accused of fraud?
redqueen
(115,103 posts)to post a sign or somehow inform the clients that it is for entertainment only.
Not sure that's the case where she works, but it's one possibility.
Ecumenist
(6,086 posts)easttexaslefty
(1,554 posts)Can suck some to people into doing this.
redqueen
(115,103 posts)Also if one grows up in an environment where superstitions are treated as credible, then that person is far more susceptible to being manipulated using those irrational beliefs.
HillWilliam
(3,310 posts)My brother never got over the loss of his grandmother. There was some pathology there, trust. Being the good little reichwinger/racist/homophobe Kreeshchyin (definitely not Christian except in his warpedass mind), he resorted to supersition. After he detroyed his marriage and drank himself to death, I had to go help pick up the pieces, discovering at $1300+ phone bill, $1200 of which was to "psychic" services.
Dude was the total model of a teabagger before teabagging was fashionable. Sheep and fool, just like the lot of them.
Ecumenist
(6,086 posts)The fake "gypsy" types are known criminals and tend to be sprinkled throughout the cities,
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)DeathToTheOil
(1,124 posts)snooper2
(30,151 posts)Sheepshank
(12,504 posts)Fuzz
(8,827 posts)creators.
Guy Whitey Corngood
(26,501 posts)SidDithers
(44,228 posts)Sid