Thousands of people across the US, many elderly and vulnerable, allegedly lost more than $4 million to a psychic mail fraud scheme.
Mael Chemla, 61, who previously lived in Aventura, Florida, appeared in Miami federal court on November 2nd on charges of conspiracy, mail fraud and wire fraud, says the U.S. Department of Justice.
Prosecutors say the letters appeared to come from psychics and told recipients they were about to receive a financial windfall but needed to send a payment first.
“Chemla allegedly conspired with others to send letters to victims throughout the United States that appeared to be personalized communications from psychics. The letters falsely informed victims that the psychic had learned of an imminent financial windfall the victim was entitled to receive, and the victim needed to send a payment in order to receive the financial windfall.”
Chemla allegedly set up US bank accounts under the names of the purported psychics, deposited victims’ checks and wired the money to European accounts controlled by a co-conspirator.
Authorities allege Chemla and his co-conspirator collected the money from September of 2016 through November of 2020.
Chemla, a US, French and Israeli national, was extradited from Germany before his court appearance.
If convicted, he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is investigating the case.
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