A fortuneteller recently plead guilty and charged with one count of mail fraud and one count of money laundering. Sandra Stevenson Marks, also known as Catherine Marks will now be required to repay victims at least $1.2 million, according to a plea agreement.
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The US attorney John Fishwick Jr.
“Ms. Marks took advantage of people who trusted her during some of the lowest points of their lives. Greed drove this defendant to break federal law and steal over $1 million from her victims. We are grateful to those who investigated this case and helped begin the process of making these victims whole again.”
Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C., Clark E. Settles, laid out the details of the investigation:
“A fortune teller cons clients out of more than one million dollars, then launders the proceeds and commits mail fraud. This sounds like the plotline for a Hollywood movie. Unfortunately, for Ms. Marks’ victims, this was reality.”
According to evidence presented in hearings, Marks and her husband, Donnie Marks, operated a business called “Readings by Catherine” in Charlottesville.
The business offered palm readings, candle readings, tarot card reading, astrological readings, and spiritual readings.
Marks admitted in a statement that she told clients that she could see into the past and future and that this was a “gift from God.”
Then, Marks admitted to telling clients that they would need to make a sacrifice of large amounts of money and/or valuables to remove “curses” or “dark clouds.”
She then told clients that she would bury the sacrifice to be “cleansed” but that the valuables would be returned when the “work” was complete.
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Marks told her clients that she would not use them for her personal benefit, but according to Mark’s confession, that’s exactly what she did.
According to police, when Marks had used all of her client’s money, Marks would find new clients to fund the scheme, or tell old clients that additional money was required to continue her “work.”
Marks faces a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison.
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Original article published on 13WET.com. Photo Credit: Examiner.com.
