NYC fortune teller allegedly scammed 43-year-old mom of two, who cleans hotel rooms for living, out of $87,000
Prison time could be looming on the horizon for a Manhattan fortune teller who has been accused of scamming a hardworking mother out of $87,000. Pamela Ufie, 28, was apprehended near Bryant Park and is facing charges of grand larceny and fraudulent accosting. This isn’t the first time Ufie has been in trouble with the law, as private investigator Bob Nygaard has previously assisted in three other cases involving her deceptive practices.
According to Nygaard, Ufie targeted her victim in Times Square by claiming that she had a “darkness” surrounding her. The victim initially paid Ufie $100, but the fortune teller insisted that more money was needed to lift a supposed curse that threatened the victim’s son’s life. Over the course of several months, the victim handed over thousands of dollars with the promise of having the money cleansed and returned, but Ufie never followed through on her end of the deal.
Despite pleading not guilty during her arraignment, Ufie’s track record of previous arrests for similar offenses doesn’t bode well for her defense. Nygaard, a former NYPD officer, played a key role in Ufie’s most recent arrest, having spent over two years investigating her fraudulent activities. He has worked on numerous cases involving fortune tellers and has helped recover millions of dollars for victims.
In New York, practicing “occult powers” for financial gain is considered illegal, with fortune telling classified as a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail. Nygaard emphasized that these laws are often overlooked by law enforcement, who may dismiss psychic scams as civil matters rather than criminal offenses. He stressed that anyone, regardless of their background or intelligence, can fall victim to these scams when vulnerable moments arise in their lives.
As Ufie’s case unfolds in court, it serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by deceptive individuals who exploit people’s vulnerabilities for personal gain. Nygaard’s relentless pursuit of justice for victims of psychic scams highlights the importance of holding these fraudsters accountable and raising awareness about the legal ramifications of their actions.
