Authorities have issued a European arrest warrant for Mariana M, a 44-year-old woman implicated in elaborate schemes of financial deception involving rituals and alleged curses, resulting in loss of substantial sums for her victims.
Austrian Police Hunt 'Shaman Fraudster' Racking Up Millions in Deceit
Austrian Police Hunt 'Shaman Fraudster' Racking Up Millions in Deceit
Law enforcement in Austria has launched a manhunt for a woman accused of posing as a shaman and defrauding victims across multiple countries.
Police in Austria are actively searching for a suspect identified as Mariana M, a 44-year-old woman linked to a scheme that allegedly defrauded multiple victims out of vast amounts of money while masquerading as a shaman. The law enforcement agencies have issued a European arrest warrant, underscoring the seriousness of the charges against her.
According to reports, authorities uncovered cash, jewelry, and gold valued at over 10 million euros (£8.3 million) in her residence located in Mödling, a suburb near Vienna. Mariana M, who also went by the name Amela, reportedly exploited emotional vulnerabilities in her victims, leading one individual to transfer a staggering 730,000 euros under the pretense of necessary cleansing rituals to remove a curse from a supposed dying relative.
Currently, Mariana's 29-year-old son is in custody, following his arrest in Wiener Neustadt as part of the ongoing investigation. The police believe that the operations of this alleged fraudster may have extended beyond Austria’s borders into Germany and Switzerland, preying on individuals desperate for hope or guidance during times of crisis.
Franz Popp, the Director of Police in Lower Austria, expressed concern about individuals capitalizing on the emotional distress of others. "In a world where many seek answers to life's difficult questions, there are those who exploit this vulnerability, claiming supernatural abilities," he noted, emphasizing the need for vigilance against such deceptive practices.
Authorities have reached out to the public for assistance and are encouraging any other potential victims to report their experiences to the Lower Austrian State Office of Criminal Investigation as efforts intensify to bring Mariana M to justice.
