Police searching for a psychic thief

Nov 17 2006 AM

NSW police are searching for an Australian psychic and her Canadian followers, whom they say conned hundreds of thousands of dollars from vulnerable people.

Detective Inspector Jim Stewart said the psychic, called Nina, and her husband and another couple may have crossed into another state to set up their scam.

The 60-year-old psychic and her followers, who have what police say are strong Canadian accents, packed up their crystal ball and tarot cards before leaving a unit in Merrylands, in Sydney's west, he said.

Police believe they have fled with more than $500,000 cash and jewellery after gaining the confidence of a number of victims.

"People have been duped into believing that if they bring their property to this particular psychic that all their problems will be solved," Insp Stewart said.

People have been asked to bring large amounts of money to the psychic who promises to return it after five to six days of cleansing it of evil.

Insp Stewart says the psychic has failed to return the money.

A 60-year-old woman has told police she answered an advertisement in the local newspaper for psychic readings.

Over a period of two months, the Bexley woman provided and was defrauded of $308,000 by the psychic and her husband.

Nina is described as being about 140cm tall with a thin build, long dark hair and an olive complexion.

The 60-year-old victim, who only wants to be known as Giuseppa, told reporters she was yet to tell her husband that she had lost their life savings.

She is one of four victims, all women, who have been caught out by the scam which had been operating since July.

Police said two amounts of $300,000 and $200,000 left with the psychic by two victims had been stolen.

Giuseppa said the psychic "looked at a crystal ball and touched me with her hands".

"She said I was aggravated and cursed," Giuseppa said.

The psychic promised, during five or six 10-minute sessions, to rid the cash of a family curse.

Giuseppa said she went to the psychic seeking help for her depression.