Salisbury 'psychic' stole $65,400, police charge

By TERRI SANGINITI
The News Journal

Jean Tate was scared when a self-proclaimed Maryland psychic walked up to her at a Salisbury store and said her family was cursed. For a fee, the fortuneteller offered to remove the curse so it would not affect Tate's daughters and grandchildren. Tate, of Ocean View, fell for the story.

Jean Tate was scared when a self-proclaimed Maryland psychic walked up to her at a Salisbury store and said her family was cursed.

For a fee, the fortuneteller offered to remove the curse so it would not affect Tate's daughters and grandchildren.

Tate, of Ocean View, said she fell for the story.

"She said, 'God has sent me to you,' " Tate said. "I began to think, 'Maybe this is really true.' She was believable."

In the end, Tate deposited nearly $60,000 of an inheritance into the fortuneteller's personal account to "cleanse" the money of evil so her late mother and sister could rest in peace.

The so-called psychic was charged Wednesday with one count of felony theft for defrauding Tate out of $65,400, Delaware State Police said.

Tiffany A. Stevens, 21, of Hebron, who lists her place of employment as Rose White Psychic in Salisbury, was later released on $5,000 unsecured bail.

The 57-year-old victim, meanwhile, was left holding an IOU.

She still hopes to recoup her lost money, part of an inheritance left by her mother, she said.

The ruse began March 10 when Stevens walked up to Tate as she was having lunch in a Wal-Mart and handed her a handbill advertising her services.

Stevens told Tate about some events in her life, leading her to believe Stevens had psychic powers, police said in court records. For $30, Stevens said, she would give more information and the fee would go to a church.

Tate drove to Stevens' home in the 27000 block of Ocean Gateway the next day. Stevens told her that someone had put a curse on her family, leaving her mother and sister, who both died in 2002, stranded in limbo -- somewhere between heaven and hell, state police Cpl. John Barnett Jr. said.

"She told me I had evil in my house. ... all this hocus-pocus stuff," Tate said.

Tate returned to Stevens' home for six more visits, and told her she had inherited more than $100,000 from her mother, which was kept in a trust fund.

Stevens, who claimed banks were evil, persuaded Tate to transfer $75,000 of her inheritance into another bank. The name "Chase" came to her, she told Tate.

When the transfer was complete, Tate withdrew $6,000 in late March. Stevens told her to put it in an envelope, place it under her mattress and sleep on it.

When Tate said she was unable to sleep, Stevens first told her to move the money to a darkened room and then to bring the cash to her so she could "cleanse" it.

Tate told police she thought the money would be returned, but it wasn't.

Stevens then told Tate to wire $59,400 from her bank to Stevens' account, which she did on April 4, Barnett said.

By that time, Tate was beginning to get suspicious.

"I was feeling a little funny about her," Tate said. "My daughters knew nothing about what was going on. All I was thinking was that she was going to take the curse from the family."

When the transfer was completed, Stevens pronounced Tate's mother and sister "free," police said.

Up until that day, the two women had talked daily. Afterward, the contact stopped.

"I tried several times to call her, and told her I wanted my money back and wanted to meet her at the bank," Tate said. "She wasn't as nice as she had been."

On April 19, Tate went to Stevens' home with some family members to get her money back. She notified police April 21.

"She said 'Jean, didn't I show you my powers?' " Tate said. "I said, 'All I want is my money back.' "

Tate hasn't seen a penny of her lost funds. She said investigators told her that Stevens' attorney is supposed to give her a check "next week out of his account."

"I don't want her to go out and scam other people, older people especially," Tate said. "And don't be like me and put money in someone else's account."