Austrian police are on the trail of a 44-year-old woman identified only by the alias "Mariana M," believed to be the mastermind behind a significant fraud scheme involving impersonation as a shaman. Authorities issued a European arrest warrant for her after they uncovered an extensive cache of cash, jewelry, and gold valued at over €10 million at her residence in Mödling, near Vienna.
Mariana, who also went by the name Amela, is suspected of defrauding victims across Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. In one elaborate scheme, she convinced a victim that a "close relative had been cursed," claiming to foresee their impending death. To supposedly lift the curse, she demanded an astonishing sum of €730,000 for "cleansing rituals." Subsequent to the victim transferring funds in various installments, Mariana cut off all communication. Adding insult to injury, the victim received a call from another woman falsely claiming that the "shaman" had lapsed into a coma due to the very ritual Mariana had promoted.
Franz Popp, the Director of Police in Lower Austria, expressed concern over the proliferation of fraudsters exploiting vulnerable individuals. He noted, "In a world where many seek answers to life's profound questions, opportunists are taking advantage of those in emotional or financial distress."
Authorities are urging any other potential victims who may have crossed paths with Mariana M to reach out to the Lower Austrian State Office of Criminal Investigation as the search for this alleged fraudster intensifies.
