Evil spirits and a scam: Indian-origin astrologer arrested in New York
Muneppa posed as a fortune teller at the business and offered to "purchase the power to fight evil spirits" on the victim's behalf, according to a report in the Daily Mail.The 68-year-old woman had got her first expensive reading a few days earlier, then went back to Anjana Ji for more services. There, Muneppa asked her for another $42,000 and drove her to a nearby bank to take out the money.The bank staff noticed a possible scam and Muneppa has since been charged with third-degree grand larceny, third-degree attempted grand larceny, and two misdemeanour counts of fortune-telling – a rarely used statute in New York that criminalises accepting money for spiritual services unless they are strictly for entertainment, the Daily Mail reported.Prosecutors said the victim thought she was being haunted by evil spirits and went to Muneppa for help.Muneppa pleaded not guilty to the charges during his arraignment on Friday and was released without bail; however, he was forced to wear an ankle monitor, according to the New York Post.ANOTHER WOMAN MISLED BY SELF-PROCLAIMED FORTUNE TELLERMehwish Saeed, who owns a clothing store near the psychic shop, also claimed her daughter also visited the business and was misled, the Daily Mail reported.Saeed said those who hurt people's feelings should be punished."Playing with somebody's feelings and giving them false hope, that's really bad," Saeed was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail."They're just making people a fool, so they deserve to be punished," Saeed added.Nassau County Police, New York, have said that anyone who believes they may have been a victim in this case should contact them.- Ends
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