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Hindustan Times
21-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
Evil spirit removal and $60,000 scam: Indian-origin astrologer arrested in US for scamming
An Indian origin fortune teller was arrested in New York after charging a woman more than $60,000 for fortune telling. The 33-year-old man, Hemanth Kumar Muneppa, is facing charges relating to grand larceny and fortune telling.(Representational) The 33-year-old man, Hemanth Kumar Muneppa, is facing charges relating to grand larceny and fortune telling, according to CBS News. Under New York state law, it is illegal to charge for fortune telling services, unless it is for entertainment purposes. 'Telling fortunes', 'exorcising evil spirits', or providing any sort of occult advice is classified as a Class B misdemeanor. Nassau County Police said Muneppa was arrested from Hicksville on July 18. The police said that the man initially charged a 68-year-old woman $20,000 for fortune telling services on July 3. The woman returned for additional services at Anjana Ji, CBS News reported. The website of the company, located at on South Broadway, says it offers several services related to astrology, ranging from "evil spirit removal" to "love spell caster." However, Muneppa asked the woman to pay an extra amount of $42,000, following which she was taken to a Broadway bank to withdraw the money. When the woman went to withdraw the amount, the bank officials raised questions, thus eventually calling in the police when they learnt it was for psychic services. 'The victim was advised she may be being scammed, and police were called for assistance,' the Nassau County Police Department said. Muneppa was arrested in the parking lot, and was produced before a court on Friday, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to the New York Post. He was later released on bail, but will still have to wear an ankle monitor. Meanwhile, a local clothing store owner Mehwish Saeed told NBC4 that the employees working at the astrologers' were 'just making people a fool'. 'Playing with somebody's feelings and giving them false hope. That's really bad,' she said.
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Time of India
Banish evil spirits: Indian-origin astrologer arrested in NYC for scamming senior citizen, bank raised alarm
Indian-origin astrologer arrested in NYC for scamming a senior citizen promising to banish evil spirits. Hemanth Kumar Muneppa, a 33-year-old Indian-origin astrologer, was arrested when a bank raised an alarm that a senior citizen was probably getting scammed, as the 68-year-old woman went to the bank to withdraw $42,000. This was to meet the astrologer's additional demand as the woman had already paid $20,000 to the astrologer who promised to banish evil spirits. CBS News reported that the woman believed that evil spirits were targeting her. She consulted Muneppa, who works at a psychic and astrology business called Anjana Ji on South Broadway, posing as a fortune teller who could purchase the power to fight evil spirits if the victims give him money. In a written statement to prosecutors, Muneppa allegedly admitted, "I did a few palm reading and astrology readings. She gave me a bunch of money… all $100 bills." . He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Friday and was released without bail. He has been asked to wear an ankle monitor and stay away from the victim. NBC4 reported that Muneppa, a father of two, did not make any comment on the accusations. Muneppa was arrested without any incident as he was present with the senior citizen when she went to the bank to withdraw another $42,000. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like AirSense 11 – Smart tech for deep sleep ResMed Buy Now Undo The bank raised an alarm and called the police, suspecting that the woman was being scammed. Fortune-telling is an offence in New York According to New York State law, it is illegal to charge for fortune-telling services, unless solely for entertainment or amusement purposes. Fortune telling is considered a class B misdemeanor. "A person is guilty of fortune telling when, for a fee or compensation which he directly or indirectly solicits or receives, he claims or pretends to tell fortunes, or holds himself out as being able, by claimed or pretended use of occult powers, to answer questions or give advice on personal matters or to exorcise, influence or affect evil spirits or curses; except that this section does not apply to a person who engages in the aforedescribed conduct as part of a show or exhibition solely for the purpose of entertainment or amusement," the law says
India Today
21-07-2025
- India Today
Evil spirits and a scam: Indian-origin astrologer arrested in New York
A 33-year-old Indian-origin astrologer was arrested in New York's Hicksville in connection with an alleged fortune-telling scam that authorities said targeted a senior citizen woman and cost her tens of thousands of dollars. According to the US authorities, the woman believed she was being targeted by "evil spirits" and sought help from the self-proclaimed fortune Kumar Muneppa, 33, from Queens, was arrested at a bank after staff noticed a possible scam. The victim, who had already given him $20,000 (approximately Rs 16.7 lakh), was trying to take out another $42,000 (approx Rs 35 lakh) to pay for psychic services, the New York Post reported, citing to investigators, Muneppa worked out of a psychic and astrology business called Anjana Ji on South Broadway, that offers astrology, "evil spirit removal", "love spell caster" and more, according to its website. 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 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 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 said the victim thought she was being haunted by evil spirits and went to Muneppa for 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 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 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 County Police, New York, have said that anyone who believes they may have been a victim in this case should contact them.- Ends
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Yahoo
A Fortuneteller Claimed He Could Ward Off Evil Spirits. Then He Allegedly Scammed an Elderly Woman Out of Thousands of Dollars
NEED TO KNOW An astrologer in New York has been charged with grand larceny after allegedly scamming an elderly woman out of thousands of dollars for fortune-telling services The elderly woman was driven to a local bank to withdraw money while she was receiving fortune-telling services in Hicksville, N.Y., and bank employees called police to investigate a potential scam Charging money for fortune-telling services in New York state is considered a misdemeanorAn astrologer in New York has been charged with grand larceny after allegedly scamming an elderly woman out of thousands of dollars for fortune-telling services. According to the Nassau County Police Department (NCPD), 33-year-old Hemanth Kumar Muneppa was arrested on Thursday, July 17, after allegedly asking a 68-year-old woman to withdraw $42,000 from her bank account. Detectives said the woman initially visited a business in Hicksville, N.Y., on July 3 called Anjana Ji that offers astrology services such as psychic readings, according to its website. NBC 4 New York reported that Muneppa allegedly said that his services included the "power to fight evil spirits." That day, the woman — whose identity has not been made public — paid Muneppa $20,000 for fortune-telling services. On July 17, the woman was "receiving further fortune-telling services" at Anjana Ji, located on the city's South Broadway street, when she was allegedly asked to provide an additional $42,000. She was then driven to a nearby bank to withdraw the money. "The victim was advised she may be being scammed, and police were called for assistance," the NCPD said. Officers who arrived at the bank then arrested Muneppa in the parking lot "without incident." Muneppa has been charged with grand larceny in the third degree, attempted grand larceny in the third degree and two counts of fortune telling, according to police. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Mehwish Saeed, who owns a clothing store near the astrology shop, told NBC 4 that she believes the employees there are "just making people a fool." "Playing with somebody's feelings and giving them false hope. That's really bad," she told the outlet. In New York, charging for fortune-telling services is considered a class B misdemeanor — which can result in a three-month jail sentence, according to the state — unless it's being done solely for entertainment purposes. "A person is guilty of fortune telling when, for a fee or compensation which he directly or indirectly solicits or receives, he claims or pretends to tell fortunes, or holds himself out as being able, by claimed or pretended use of occult powers, to answer questions or give advice on personal matters or to exorcise, influence or affect evil spirits or curses; except that this section does not apply to a person who engages in the aforedescribed conduct as part of a show or exhibition solely for the purpose of entertainment or amusement," the law states. Detectives are requesting that anyone else who may have been a victim in this case contact the NCPD Second Squad at (516) 573-6200. Muneppa is next due in court on Aug. 14, court records show. Read the original article on People
Daily Mail
20-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Woman claims fortuneteller who could ward off evil spirits made her $20,000 disappear
A Long Island man who claimed he could 'banish evil spirits' is now facing criminal charges after allegedly scamming a senior citizen out of tens of thousands of dollars, Nassau County police said. Hemanth Kumar Muneppa, 33, was arrested Thursday in the parking lot of a Hicksville bank, where authorities say he was attempting to get a 68-year-old woman to withdraw an additional $42,000 after previously convincing her to pay $20,000 for psychic services. According to investigators, Muneppa worked out of a psychic and astrology business called Anjana Ji on South Broadway, where he posed as a fortune teller and offered to 'purchase the power to fight evil spirits' on the victim's behalf. Police said the woman returned to the shop on Friday for further services, where Muneppa allegedly demanded another $42,000 and drove her to a nearby bank to retrieve the cash. Bank employees, concerned that the woman was being scammed, alerted police and officers arrested the so-called fortune teller at the scene. Muneppa, of South Richmond Hill, has since been charged with third-degree grand larceny, third-degree attempted grand larceny, and two misdemeanor counts of fortune telling - a rarely used statute in New York that criminalizes accepting money for spiritual services unless they are strictly for entertainment. Prosecutors said the victim believed she was being targeted by evil spirits and turned to Muneppa for help. In a written statement to prosecutors, Muneppa allegedly admitted, 'I did a few palm reading and astrology readings. She gave me a bunch of money… all $100 bills.' He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Friday and was released without bail. He has been ordered to wear an ankle monitor and stay away from the victim, NBC4 New York reported. No attorney information for Muneppa was immediately available. According to NBC4, Mueppa, a father-of-two, did not comment outside court on Friday. The case has raised concerns in the community. Mehwish Saeed, who owns a clothing store near the psychic shop, said her daughter also visited the business and was misled. NBC New York Privacy Policy 'Playing with somebody's feelings and giving them false hope - that's really bad,' Saeed said. 'They're just making people a fool, so they deserve to be punished.' While fortune telling charges are uncommon and often difficult to prosecute, authorities said the case met the criteria for criminal charges. According to the Columbia Undergraduate Law Review, such cases are frequently challenged on First Amendment grounds, making convictions rare. Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of Muneppa or the Anjana Ji shop is asked to contact the Nassau County Police Second Squad at 516-573-6200.
