Latest news with #HemanthKumarMuneppa
Daily Mail
16 hours ago
- 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.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
Man offers spiritual guidance, dupes NYC woman of over Rs 17 lakh
A man from New York City has been arrested for allegedly cheating an elderly woman out of over Rs 17 lakh by offering fortune-telling services, CBS News reported. According to local police cited by CBS News, 32-year-old Hemanth Kumar Muneppa was taken into custody on Thursday after the woman, aged 68, reported that he had demanded large sums of money to perform rituals and offer spiritual guidance. The woman first paid Muneppa $20,000 (around Rs 17 lakh) earlier this month for his services. When she returned for additional services, he allegedly asked for another $42,000 (around Rs 35 lakh). Muneppa then accompanied her to a bank to withdraw the money, but the staff raised an alarm and contacted the police, who arrested him on the spot. Muneppa was associated with a company, Anjana Ji, which claims to offer services like 'evil spirit removal' and 'love spell casting', according to the company's website. Under New York State law, fortune telling is illegal if conducted for a fee, unless it is explicitly for entertainment purposes. As per the statute quoted by CBS, charging money for claiming to influence or remove curses, offer spiritual solutions, or predict the future is 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 reads. The man is now facing charges of grand larceny and illegal fortune telling and is scheduled to be produced before court.
New York Post
2 days ago
- New York Post
LI psychic charged under little-used NY anti-fortunetelling law after allegedly scamming a woman out of $62K
A self-proclaimed Long Island psychic was charged with grand larceny and fortunetelling — a little-used misdemeanor in New York — after allegedly scamming a senior citizen out of tens of thousands of dollars, officials said. Hemanth Kumar Muneppa, 33, of Queens, was arrested at a bank in Hicksville, where employees spotted the alleged scam as the victim — who had already been bilked for $20,000 — was trying to withdraw $42,000 more to pay for psychic services, officials said. The unidentified woman had received her first pricy reading days earlier, and returned for additional services at Anjana Ji on South Broadway, where Muneppa demanded another $42,000 and drove her to a nearby bank to withdraw it. Advertisement Muneppa was arrested at a bank in Hicksville. Nassau County Police Lucky for her, the financial institution's alert employees warned the woman she was most likely being scammed and alerted the cops. Anjana Ji is a psychic service that advertises astrology, 'evil spirit removal,' 'love spell caster,' and more, according to its website. Prosecutors said Muneppa 'knowingly and unlawfully engaged in a scheme to defraud and obtain money from the victim by falsely representing himself as a fortune teller with the power to combat evil and dark spirits.' Advertisement Muneppa pled not guilty to the charges at his arraignment Friday and released without bail, however is forced to wear an ankle monitor. The fortunetelling charges are a rarity in Nassau County, and broader New York, with the law stating that unless it is purely for entertainment purposes, receiving money to tell fortunes or give readings is a crime at the state level. Prosecuting fortunetelling can be difficult, even through grand larceny statutes, and has been challenged on grounds that it violates the First Amendment, according to the Columbia Undergraduate Law Review. Advertisement 'It is virtually impossible to prove that a fortune teller, who insists that her actions are spiritual or possibly religious in nature, does not actually believe in her practices,' the article from May says. Another accused fortuneteller was busted in New York City earlier this week for allegedly bilking some one out of $50,000 over a few years with bogus reading — and was initially charged under the law. But the little-used charged was dropped when Pamela Ufie, 28, was arraigned and she wound up being charged with one count of grand larceny and two counts of fraudulent accosting, according to court documents. Officials are asking anyone who may have been a victim of Muneppa or Anjana Ji in the alleged fortune-telling scam to contact the Nassau County Police Second Squad at 516-573-6200.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Long Island astrologer arrested over $62,000 fortune telling scam
A Long Island astrologer is facing grand larceny and fortune telling charges after allegedly trying to scam an elderly woman out of more than $60,000. Nassau County police arrested Hemanth Kumar Muneppa, 33, on Thursday in Hicksville. They say he charged a 68-year-old woman $20,000 for fortune-telling services on July 3. When she returned days later for additional services at Anjana Ji on South Broadway, which advertises astrology and 'evil spirit removal' according to CBS, Muneppa demanded another $42,000 and drove her to a nearby bank to withdraw it. Bank staff became suspicious and called the authorities. Muneppa was arrested in the parking lot without incident. His arrangement is set for Friday in Hempstead. The Independent has contacted Anjana Ji for comment. Hemanth Kumar Muneppa, 33, was arrested after allegedly driving a client to a bank to withdraw $42,000 for astrology services. (Nassau County Police) Nassau County Police are also urging any other potential victims to come forward by calling 516‑573‑6200. Under New York law, conducting fortune‑telling services for payment is illegal unless done solely for entertainment or amusement. Accepting money in exchange for 'telling fortunes,' 'exorcising evil spirits,' or providing occult advice is classified as a class B misdemeanor.
CBS News
2 days ago
- CBS News
Long Island fortune teller arrested after charging woman more than $60,000, police say
A New York City man is facing grand larceny and fortune telling charges on Long Island. Nassau County Police said Hemanth Kumar Muneppa was arrested Thursday in Hicksville. Police said Muneppa charged a 68-year-old woman $20,000 for fortune telling services back on July 3. She returned for additional services Thursday at Anjana Ji on South Broadway. The company's website says it offers a variety of astrology services, including "evil spirit removal" and "love spell caster." Muneppa asked the woman to pay an extra $42,000, and she was driven to a bank on Broadway to withdraw the money, according to police. Questions were raised when she went to withdraw the money, and police were called. Officers arrested Muneppa in the parking lot without incident. He is scheduled to be arraigned Friday in Hempstead. 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 reads. Nassau County Police urge anyone who may have been a victim of Muneppa to call 516-573-6200.
