California Fortune-Teller Scams Woman Out of $50K for Fake Curse Removal

A California man is accused of scamming a woman out of $50,000 by claiming to be a fortune-teller who could remove her family curse.

Police say Andres Pena Meneses, a self-proclaimed “faith healer,” had convinced a woman that a curse was plaguing her and her entire family. He also convinced her that she had parasites in her body. To take care of her misfortunes, Meneses charged the woman $50,000. Once she realized that the man was a fraud, she reported him to the authorities.

During their investigation, police searched Meneses’s Riverside home and business. They located tarot cards, a voodoo doll, religious and satanic items, and a small pet python that he used to carry out his elaborate scam. The 31-year-old would convince customers to bring their bed mattress to his business during the “healing” services. Then, Meneses or his employees would cut a hole into the mattress and tell the unsuspecting patrons that they found a snake and other demonic objects inside, seemingly proving that a curse had been put on them. In radio ads, Meneses also claimed to cure sleep disorders, headaches, and diabetes.

Police believe that there are several other victims out there who have fallen prey to the fraudster.

Meneses was arrested last week and charged with felony grand theft and theft by false pretenses. He has since been released after posting $57,000 bail. This is not his first time taking advantage of desperate people. In 2019, he was convicted in Chicago of running a similar scheme.