Are there any cures out there?
***
Fortune-teller charged with conning 2 clients out of 91G
By JENNIFER JENKINS
[email hidden]
Police arrested a 38-year-old fortune-teller yesterday,
saying the woman conned two clients out of more than
$91,000 combined.
Julie Lee Stevens, owner of "Psychic Readings by Miss Lee"
on Sansom Street near 18th, is a "member of a Gypsy family"
has operated in Philadelphia for about two years, according
to officials with the Major Crimes Division.
Police arrested Stevens after they received a complaint from
one of the victims.
She is being charged with felony theft and related crimes.
Stevens told the victims they had a "negative energy" and
demanded money and gifts in exchange for treatment,
police said.
Stevens also threatened to put a "Gypsy hex" on the victims,
making them sick with serious diseases such as cancer if
they did not pay her, said officers with the Crimes Against
the Retired and Elderly Division.
In Pennsylvania it is a crime "to pretend for gain or lucre
to tell fortunes or predict future events, by cards, tokens,
the inspection of the head or hands of any person, or by the
age of anyone, or by consulting the movements of the
heavenly bodies, or in any other manner," according to the
crimes code.
Police estimate there are at least 75 fortune telling
businesses in Philadelphia but police said the crime is hard
to monitor.
As of Tuesday, police had identified two victims - a woman
in her 30s who lost $21,000 and a man in his 50s who police
estimate lost $70,000.
Capt. John McGinnis withheld the names of the two victims.
He said he believes there are more victims who have yet to
come forward and police urge them to do so.
"This woman [Stevens] has no conscience. She steals people's
life savings," McGinnis said.
"We want victims to come forward and we're not going to
think
they're foolish, we want to help them, and possibly get
their money back."
For more information call 215- 685-9486.