Scammer claimed to be a psychic, witch and Irish heiress, victims say as she faces extradition to UK

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She has traveled America saying she’s an Irish heiress, a psychic and good mates with a film star so as to run scores of scams, her victims say.

But now Marianne Smyth is in a Maine jail awaiting a listening to subsequent month that may determine whether or not she can be despatched again to the United Kingdom over a rip-off relationship again greater than 15 years in Northern Ireland.

The 54-year-old American is accused of stealing greater than $170,000 from at the very least 5 victims from 2008 to 2010 in Northern Ireland, the place a court docket issued arrest warrants for her in 2021, in accordance to authorized paperwork. She was situated and arrested final month in Maine.

Her case is analogous to Anna Sorokin, a grifter convicted in New York of paying for a lavish way of life by impersonating a rich German heiress.

“She’s a master of disguise completely changing her appearance and her grift to suit each mark,” stated Johnathan Walton, who began a podcast in 2021, “Queen of the Con,” to warn others about her after he stated he was fleeced out of almost $100,000. She was at all times wearing designer garments, however stated she wanted the cash for issues like a frozen checking account and to publish bail, he stated. She informed him she was due an inheritance of $7 million from her rich household in Ireland, Walton stated.

They grew shut over a number of years in Los Angeles, when she purchased him costly dinners and luxurious holidays, he stated. But her story started to unravel when Walton realized she was jailed for stealing $200,000 from a luxurious journey company the place she labored. She was later convicted of stealing from him and briefly served time in jail.

“She has no shame. And she has no conscience,” the 49-year-old actuality tv producer, writer and public speaker stated. “She revels in casting countless victims as unwitting actors in her elaborate schemes to defraud.”

Smyth’s lawyer didn’t reply to a request for remark. From jail, Smyth referred questions to her lawyer.

The podcast has drawn ideas from dozens of victims from California to New York, Walton stated. The tipsters described a pretend charity for Ukraine as properly as lies that she was an emissary for Satan, a witch, a hockey coach, a most cancers affected person and finest mates with Jennifer Aniston. She typically modified her title and look, her victims say.

“She honed in our vulnerabilities and got all our information and bank accounts,” stated Heather Sladinski, a costume designer in Los Angeles who stated she was scammed out of $20,000 for psychic readings, pretend life coach classes and cult-like retreats that included rituals, respiratory workout routines and yoga. Smyth was humorous, sensible and had credentials and different paperwork to again up her claims, Sladinski stated.

The 50-year-old from Los Angeles blocked Smyth after she wished to do a weird ritual involving a hen to win again her ex-boyfriend, who had a restraining order in opposition to her, Sladinski stated. Smyth then began making threatening telephone calls and Sladinski “was so scared” that she moved homes. But after connecting with Walton, Sladkinski filed her own police report against Smyth and testified at Walton’s trial.

Tess Cacciatore, who owns a manufacturing firm and nonprofit charity, by no means misplaced cash to Smyth, however met her in 2016 via a enterprise companion who had employed her as a psychic. Smyth claimed to be a most cancers affected person, even sending her a photograph of her in a hospital robe, and stated she was set to get a $50 million inheritance. Smyth additionally confirmed Cacciatore emails purportedly from Aniston and, at one level, invited her to be part of them on the Golden Globe Awards earlier than abruptly canceling.

In Northern Ireland, authorities officers say Smyth stole cash that she had promised to make investments and organized to promote a sufferer a residence however took the cash. She stays within the Piscataquis County Jail in Dover-Foxcroft pending the extradition listening to on April 17.

“She should have been an actress,” Cacciatore stated. “She would have worked a lot and not gone to jail. She is so good at what she did.”