According to police, a 44-year-old self-proclaimed shaman, who is being sought with a European arrest warrant, is considered a suspect. Cash, gold, jewelry, and high-priced wristwatches were seized. Victims are also suspected abroad, including in Germany and Switzerland.

Seizure of a Million Amount

The seizure of the million amount in cash, gold, and jewelry in Maria Enzersdorf (district of Mödling) followed a house search ordered by the public prosecutor's office in Wiener Neustadt, the police announced at a press conference in St. Pölten on Monday. Officers from the LKA (Fraud Investigation Department) and the task force for combating street crime were deployed with the EKO Cobra. A safe had to be opened. According to LKA chief Stefan Pfandler, the safe contained 4.1 million euros and 2.1 million Swiss francs (2.23 million euros), as well as 5,100 US dollars and 500 Deutsche Marks.

Occult Fraud with Million Damage: Expert Evaluates Jewelry

Regarding the evaluation of the jewelry also seized in the safe, an expert was appointed by the public prosecutor's office. The expert is to determine the authenticity and price of the valuables.

In mid-January, it became known that Mariana M., alias "Amela," an Austrian citizen of Serbian origin, had defrauded a woman with pretended fortune-telling powers. She is said to have swindled more than 730,000 euros. Money handovers took place in Vienna and Baden. The investigations then took their course.

In the specific case, according to the police, the accused went so far as to convince her victim that she foresaw the death of a close relative who was cursed. To break the alleged curse, "Amela" demanded more than 700,000 euros for "cleansing rituals." According to Pfandler, the money was handed over to her in the spring of 2024 in three installments of 3,000, 64,000, and 660,000 euros. After receiving these sums, contact was broken off. The "shaman" reportedly fell into a deep coma due to the 'cleansing ritual,' another woman informed by phone.

Son Refused to Testify

The 29-year-old son of "Amela" is also under investigation. He was arrested last Monday on suspicion of being an accessory to serious fraud and money laundering and was taken to the Wiener Neustadt prison. The man, who exercised his right to refuse to testify, is according to the police the owner of the house in Maria Enzersdorf, where the million-dollar safe was discovered in a secret room - "like a panic room," as Pfandler said on Monday. Access was only possible with a special mechanism.

The search for Mariana M. continues. Investigators assume that the woman has been active throughout the German-speaking region for several years, possibly with accomplices.

Karner: One of the Largest Fraud Cases in Lower Austria

Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) pointed out in St. Pölten the treachery with which the actions were carried out. All age groups could become victims, with older people being the primary target. Karner also emphasized that the current investigations are being conducted in close coordination with German and Swiss authorities. He also spoke of one of the largest fraud cases ever solved by the Lower Austria State Criminal Police Office.

The minister recalled that in 2023, 64,000 fraud offenses were reported in Austria. These accounted for about twelve percent of the 528,000 total reports. In 34,000 cases, it involved cybercrime, but still about 30,000 occurred in the analog world.

As structural countermeasures, Karner mentioned, among other things, that this year a specialized department for combating organized crime would be established in each federal state. International networking is of crucial importance, as in the present case.

Behind the esoteric facades, "hard-nosed business interests" are hidden, warned State Police Director Franz Popp in St. Pölten. Trust is exploited to gain financial advantages. Namely from victims who are, for example, in an emotional emergency and are seeking help and support.

"Skepticism is the best protection," is just one of the police's prevention tips. "Be critical of promises that are too good to be true." Popp also advised listening to "your gut feeling." An open conversation with family or friends can also help protect against fraud.

On the wanted page of the Lower Austria State Police Directorate's website (www.polizei.gv.at/noe/lpd/fahndung/fahndung.aspx), numerous pieces of jewelry and valuables are listed with numbers. Further victims of the alleged fraudster in Austria and abroad are urgently requested to contact the investigators of the Lower Austria State Criminal Police Office at Tel.: +43 59133 303333. Information on the whereabouts of the fugitive Mariana M. is also requested and will be treated confidentially upon request.

First Victim Has Come Forward

After the publication of the photos on the wanted page, a first victim came forward on Monday, Chief Inspector Johann Baumschlager of the State Police Directorate in St. Pölten announced in the afternoon upon request. It was a person who had recognized jewelry from their possession. Appropriate checks would be initiated. There are also inquiries from Germany. These also concern valuables, said the police spokesman.

(APA/Red)

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