Fake Tarotist in Miami accused of stealing thousands of dollars in a 'ritual'.
What began as a simple tarot card reading for $20 ended in a multi-thousand-dollar scam and the arrest of a 67-year-old woman in Doral.
It all began when the victim, a man whose identity has not been revealed, found a flyer offering esoteric services in his car. He decided to call the number and attend a tarot session at an apartment located at 8800 Northwest 36th Street.
What seemed like a harmless consultation turned into a series of sessions where, according to the police report, the man was convinced to undergo a "spiritual cleansing" that would end up costing him $3,000.
According to police, the woman who conducted the session, falsely identified as "María Rodríguez," assured the man that his money could be "multiplied" through an egg ritual.
On his last visit, the victim handed over the cash, which was placed in a bag along with several eggs. However, upon opening it, all he found were broken eggs and worms, with no trace of his money.
Alarmed, he attempted to recover the cash, but when he received no satisfactory answers, he decided to contact the police. The investigation led to the arrest of the woman, identified as Carmen Valdez de Miguel, a 67-year-old alleged Venezuelan Taoist, who now faces charges of fraud and grand theft, in addition to using a false identity.
Police Chief Edwin López urges other potential victims to come forward and anticipates more arrests in connection with this alleged criminal organization. Valdez de Miguel remains in custody, despite having set bail, due to outstanding arrest warrants.
Authorities suspect the woman was not acting alone and may be part of a criminal organization specializing in this type of fraud.
Meanwhile, Carmen Valdez de Miguel remains in custody and, although she was granted bail, her release is on hold due to the other arrest warrants against her.