Fraud investigator warns

The shamans’ tricks “have been around for a long time”

Cash, gold, jewelry and watches were found during several raids on the gang

(Bild: LPD NÖ)

A gang is said to have made a fortune with nasty occult scams. But their scam is not new, it's old. However, it is apparently still extremely successful: there are up to ten similar cases a year in Upper Austria.

A gang of shamans has been making headlines across Austria for days: The fraudsters are said to have scammed more than ten million euros from Lower Austria with "cleansing rituals", with which they allegedly freed their victims from curses for a fee.

The case was reportedly started by a 56-year-old woman who paid the duo more than 700,000 euros. The main suspect, Mariana M., is still on the run.

Perpetrators exploit victims' weaknesses "hard as nails"
The gang is also said to have been up to mischief in Linz. Victims are asked to contact the police (059/13330-3333). It is not yet clear how many victims there are in Upper Austria.

However, the tricks of the self-proclaimed shamans are nothing new for the chief investigator of the fraud department at the Upper Austrian State Criminal Police Office: "This has been going on for 30 or 40 years - but not to this extent," says Gerald Sakoparnig.

The search is still on for Mariana M. - who was traveling as the shaman "Amela".

(Bild: LPD NÖ)

High number of unreported cases
"If someone is in poor health and is told that they can be helped by the laying on of hands or other traditional rituals, they are grateful and receptive to any help. This is exploited like crazy," says the chief investigator, explaining the scam in which the fraudsters create an emotional dependency: "I estimate that we have between five and ten cases per year in Upper Austria using this method. But not all of them are reported. There is a corresponding number of unreported cases."

If someone is in poor health, they are receptive to any help. This is exploited to the hilt.

Gerald Sakoparnig, Chef LKA-Betrugsabteilung

Examining individual cases
However, whether an esoteric or shamanic "treatment" falls under fraud must always be examined on a case-by-case basis. "It's a gray area," says the chief investigator. "Performance and consideration are the criteria. There are things outside of conventional medicine where experts argue about whether it's worth it," says LKA fraud chief Sakoparnig.