Austrian police are on the hunt for a woman they believe has been posing as a shaman to defraud individuals out of large sums of money. Identified only as 44-year-old Mariana M, the suspect is currently subject to a European arrest warrant following significant discoveries made at her residence in Mödling, just outside Vienna. Authorities have reportedly seized cash, jewelry, and gold estimated to be worth over 10 million euros (£8.3 million).
Mariana M, who also went by the name Amela, is wanted in connection with numerous fraud cases across Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. The latest allegations detail how she convinced one victim that a close family member had been cursed and predicted their imminent death. To "lift" this supposed curse, Mariana M allegedly demanded an astonishing 730,000 euros for various cleansing rituals. Once the victim transferred the money in multiple installments, there was a subsequent loss of communication and contact from the fraudster.
In a twist, the victim was later told by another individual that the "shaman" had lapsed into a coma following the ritual, furthering the deception. Franz Popp, the Director of Police in Lower Austria, expressed concern over individuals who exploit the vulnerable, stating, “Profiteers have established themselves who claim to possess supernatural powers," and urging anyone who may have fallen victim to come forward and report to the Lower Austrian State Office of Criminal Investigation.
