A mother-daughter fortune-telling team charged with bilking victims out of $107K in 'cursed' cash

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.suntimes.com/news/24-7/2804142,CST-NWS-cursed15.article

October 15, 2010

BY TINA SFONDELES Staff Reporter/[e-mail]

A mother-daughter fortune-telling team persuaded at least three people to give them their life savings because the money was "cursed" and needed cleansing, then fled with the cash before being caught in Arizona, authorities said Thursday.

Laura Santini, 62, and daughter Rosann Santini, 36, are charged with stealing more than $62,000 from a 60-year-old woman in April 2007 and $45,000 from a couple in July 2007, telling them the root of their problems was their money, which needed to be "cleansed," prosecutors said.

The women allegedly told their victims they would take the money to a shrine in Indiana to be prayed over, to bless it and "purge it of evil spirits."

[CBGLuthier]

1. They should charge the victims for their stupidity

these assholes would not get away with it if people were not so stupid as to believe this shit.

[hobbit709]

4. what's that saying about a fool and money?

If you are stupid enough to believe in "curses' you deserve to get took.

[LeftinOH]

2. The 'victims' forked over their money voluntarily- not sure how they were "bilked";

just really gullible.

[Statistical]

3. It continually astounds me how stupid some people can be.

I mean not just "lower taxes = jobs" stupid or "War or terra stupid" but
"here is my life savings in untraceable cash. Nothing can go wrong with that."

[SpiralHawk]

12. Hey, TeaBagliCons are. They just are.

Ya gotta wonder if crappy genetically mutant food is the reason...

[cowcommander]

5. People still fall for this shit?

I've seen this scam go around for years!

[L0oniX]

6. Same thing as with Wall street? fortune 500 ?

:evilgrin:

[txlibdem]

7. I'm beginning to get a VISION... of jail time in their future

Cue spooky music.

:rofl:

[YOY]

8. Organized religions do more or less the same thing on a regular basis.

n.t.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

9. Not really, no.

There is a world of difference between genuinely believing in the supernatural and asking people for money with the goal of performing supernaturally-mandated actions, and using the pretence of supernaturally-mandated actions to trick people into giving you money that you'll actually use for other things.

[CBGLuthier]

10. What, exactly, is the difference?

Because the outcome is the same. 100% the same.

[YOY]

11. If you say so.

I personally see little difference in the claims of the unproven and undemonstrative supernatural to garner money. The motivation and "faith" of the perp is of little difference as to the outcome...although that being said I find it hard to believe that all of the wealthiest of "holy men" are "true believers" any more than is convenient for them.

One might ask just how strong their faith would be if it weren't so...lucrative...

[SidDithers]

13. K&R...

charlatans like these need to go to jail.

Sid

[rurallib]

14. Newt Gingerich to give Santinis 'small business' award.

Newt just wants to help them cleanse some of that money.
(not a true story as yet)

[FSogol]

15. I think it is perfectly reasonable. BTW, Send your cursed $10s and $20s to me, FSogol

and I'll remove the curse for you. PM me for details. ;-)