South Florida Psychic Convicted Of Fraud
WEST PALM BEACH (CBSMiami/AP) — A woman claiming she had psychic powers was convicted of multiple fraud charges in what prosecutors said was a long-running $40 million scam.
Jurors in West Palm Beach federal court found 62-year-old Rose Marks guilty of all 14 counts. The Palm Beach Post reports that Marks faces a maximum 20-year prison sentence. Several other family members previously pleaded guilty.
Marks and other family members operated out of storefronts in Fort Lauderdale and New York City. Testimony showed she convinced people that money was the source of evil and that they should give her cash and valuables to be cleansed and returned. Most was not.
One victim was romance novelist Jude Deveraux who testified she gave Marks about $18 million over several years.
The Palm Beach Post contributed to this report.
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