Ufie was tracked down by a private investigator hired by a 53-year-old Rockville woman, who accuses the fortune-teller of defrauding her of more than $77,000. “I sent in an operative into the location to verify she was there,” says Bob Nygaard, a private investigator who specialises in the identification and apprehension of fortune-tellers who engage in fraud. Convinced that the person inside the Queens psychic parlour was Ufie, the woman for whom he’d been searching for seven months, Nygaard tailed her to a nearby dollar store and then called police.
“To be honest, the New York City Police Department - I had a rough time getting them to make the arrest,” Nygaard says, adding that he remained in phone contact with Rockville police while keeping Ufie under surveillance. Eventually, Ufie was taken into custody inside a 99 Cents Paradise store in Queens. Nygaard recorded the arrest. “You go in to do some shopping and you come out with silver bracelets from the NYPD on your wrists. It’s not paradise,” says Nygaard.
Nygaard says fraudulent fortune-telling is a growing problem nationwide. “It’s an epidemic all across this country,” Nygaard says. “People are being emotionally abused and financially decimated at alarming rates, and the loss is astronomical.” Nygaard, a retired police officer and member of the National Association of Bunco Investigators, says he’s worked on cases with fortune-tellers accused of defrauding someone as much as $900,000, and he was familiar with a Florida case in which a woman claimed to have been defrauded of $15 million by fortune-tellers.
4 comments:
How exactly did they prove she was defrauding the victim? Because her fortune didn't come true? They should leave the fortune tellers alone so that the gullible learn a lesson not to believe in them. A $77,000 worth lesson.
Hm, could this apply to tithing in church? I guess proof would be a little problematic :D
Dunex, I love your comment. As for these idiots who give large amounts of money to other idiots who tell them what they want to hear, I have no sympathy for them. A fool and his money are soon parted. It doesn't matter what you are going through and how much emotional pain you happen to be in, think before doing anything. don't let your emotions ruin your life. This is sad, these are adults; they shouldn't have to be told.
Churches do a lot more than provide advice. Tithes and offerings provide for an upkeep of a place of worship (where the congregation periodically meets and socializes) and payment of administrative and janitorial staff. Many churches also provide charitable services, even to nonmembers (soup kitchens are popular). Congregants definitely get something for their money, even if you wouldn't choose pay for it yourself.
As for how a psychic defrauds someone, rather than providing "entertainment" in the form of predictions or paranormal communication? My guess would be fictional "investment opportunities" that the psychic does not actually invest money in, or actual "investments" of varying legitimacy for which the psychic gets a kickback for each "investor" referred to the "entrepreneur".
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