International hunt for ‘shaman’ who stole £8,300,000 in...

A woman claiming to be a ‘shaman’ is accused of swindling millions of pounds from her victims using her ‘fortune-telling powers’. Gold, jewellery and cash worth more than £8.3 million were uncovered at the home of Marina M in Mödling, near the Austrian capital of Vienna. The 44-year-old persuaded people of her supernatural abilities, going as far as convincing a woman that a close relative was cursed and that she could foresee their death, police said.

Image Credit: Metro [Everything found in her home]

To break this alleged curse, the accused then demanded a six-figure sum for ‘cleansing rituals’. After the victim handed over more than £600,000 to Marina M in several installments, she broke off contact with her. Another woman eventually phoned her, telling her that the ‘shaman’ had fallen into a severe coma due to the ‘cleansing ritual’. Police believe Mariana M may have defrauded people in Austria, Germany and Switzerland and authorities are currently working to track down more of her victims.

Image Credit: Metro [Police in Austria have issued a European arrest warrant for a woman they believe posed as a shaman to defraud victims out of large sums of money. Police said they discovered cash, jewellery and gold worth over 10m euros (?8.3 million) at the woman's house in M?dling, near Vienna. They said the suspect is a 44-year-old Austrian citizen named only as Mariana M, who went by the name Amela. Her 29 year-old son has been arrested and is in custody in the town of Wiener Neustadt. Police say they believe Mariana M may have defrauded people in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Police say Mariana M told one victim that a "close relative had been cursed and that she foresaw her death. In order to break this alleged curse, the accused then demanded 730,000 euros for 'cleansing rituals'". They said after the victim had handed over the money to the accused in several instalments, the suspect broke off contact. Another woman then informed the victim by telephone that the "shaman" had fallen into a severe coma as a result of the ritual.]

After issuing a a European arrest warrant, officers are hunting the woman, who also goes by the name Amela. Her 29 year-old son was also arrested and is in custody in 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 in which many people are looking for answers to the essential questions of life, profiteers have established themselves who claim to possess 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 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.’. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page.

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