Riverside 'fortune teller' arrested for grand theft; police confiscate snake, cash, voodoo doll
A Riverside man who billed himself as a "fortune teller" has been arrested after allegedly defrauding multiple victims, including one woman who ended up paying him more than $50,000 after he told her that she and her family were "cursed," authorities said Friday.
Riverside 'fortune teller' arrested for grand theft; snake confiscated
Andres Pena Meneses, 31, was booked on suspicion of grand theft and theft by false pretenses, both felonies, according to the Riverside Police Department. He was released after posting $57,000 bail.
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"Detectives learned a female victim visited the business to have her fortune read," the statement said. "The suspect was described as a Columbian national who went by the name 'Carlos,' convinced the victim she had parasites in her body, to which she paid him several hundred dollars to clear her of."
The man later contacted the woman and "explained she and her family were cursed and he needed more money to rid her of it," authorities said. The victim ultimately paid "Carlos" more than $50,000 after he convinced her that her children were also in trouble.
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According to police, several customers arrived at the business while the search was being conducted and told investigators that Meneses had instructed them to bring their bed mattress from home.
Meneses and his staff would allegedly "cut open the mattress and claim to have found the live snake inside with demonic type items and letters stating the victims' family was in danger," the news release said. The snake apparently was a small pet python whose carrying container was found inside the business during the search.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/riverside-fortune-teller-arrested-for-grand-theft-police-confiscate-snake-cash-voodoo-doll/ar-AAQ6YuJ?ocid=msedgntp
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