Kyiv law enforcement officers have exposed three “hereditary clairvoyants.” According to the investigation, they fraudulently swindled 1.4 million hryvnias from the families of deceased and missing servicemen.
This was reported by the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office.
The investigation found that the suspected “hereditary clairvoyants” advertised their abilities on online platforms. They promised “answers to all questions”, lifting “curses”, solving love problems and “returning” relatives from oblivion.
“They acted especially cynically towards military families – giving women false hope, assuring them that their husbands were alive and would soon return home. Psychologically depressed clients turned to the “divination” again and again, eager to hear at least some hope,” the report says.
According to the case materials, one of the wives of the deceased soldier transferred almost 1 million UAH to the “fortune teller”. For each consultation, “removal of curses” or “cleansing of karma”, she paid from 6 to 50 thousand UAH.
Another suspect convinced the client of the need to “remove the damage.” In total, the woman paid her 370,000 hryvnias, including payment for “magic candles” at 5,000 hryvnias apiece.
“The suspects also intimidated the women: they said that if they did not complete all the rituals, trouble would happen to other members of their families. This forced the victims to undergo several sessions and pay significant amounts each time. At least three victims were identified, who suffered losses of 1.4 million hryvnias,” the report says.
Currently, three of the defendants have been charged under Parts 4 and 5 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (fraud). The article carries a penalty of up to twelve years in prison with confiscation of property. Law enforcement officers are identifying other victims.
It was previously reported that law enforcement officers in the capital exposed a woman who was conducting a “cleansing ritual.” She is accused of defrauding Kyiv residents of jewelry worth about 120,000 hryvnias.