'I feel used': Ont. woman hands over nearly $50K to psychic who promised to cleanse her of evil spirits

An Ontario woman said she felt used and embarrassed after handing over nearly $50,000 to a psychic who promised to rid her of evil spirits.

“I was feeling lost, I was sad and I saw a billboard that said a psychic astrologer with 35 years experience can resolve any problem, so I called the number to go and see him” Marie Jean, who asked that her identity be protected, told CTV News Toronto.

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Marie Jean said she fell into a depression last October after having to sell her home. She said she was hopeful the psychic would give her good news in their first meeting but was shocked to be told she was surrounded by evil spirits instead.

“He said, ‘Well if you don't do what I tell you, your life could be in danger and your sons could lose their lives,’” Marie Jean said.

The psychic, named Maha Dev, operates his astrologer and psychic business at 4510 Kingston Road in Scarborough’s Morningside area.

Marie Jean claims that Dev told her to pay him $10,000 to get rid of “evil spirits” causing negativity in her life.

“He said, ‘We have to deal with this black magic right away or else something bad is going to happen,’” Marie Jean said.

After Marie Jean paid that money, she said Dev asked for more, claiming the evil spirits were too strong. She gave him a total of $46,000. Then, she was told to get jars from a dollar store so the spirits could be captured in a ritual.

"He said they're going to have to be caught in these jars and captured and taken to Niagara Falls to be killed,” Marie Jean said.

If she followed the man’s instructions, Marie Jean was told she would be “the recipient of the biggest lotto, the biggest jackpot win.”

“I'm going to have a home by the lake,” she said.

Yet again, she said she was told by the psychic that the evil spirits had returned and that it would cost another $20,000 to rid her of them, but by this point, Marie Jean said she knew she had been duped.

“I feel used, embarrassed. That I should have been smarter,” she said.

CTV News Toronto went with Marie Jean to the psychic’s place of business but the door was locked.

In a phone call to the number associated with the business, we asked if $46,000 had been taken from Marie Jean. In a return phone call to CTV News at a later time, a man who identified himself as Maha Dev claimed he had no idea who Marie Jean was and said he never took her money.

“First of all, of whom you are talking, I don’t understand and who is that lady, I don’t know,” the voice said.

However, the following day, Marie Jean said she was contacted by the psychic and the money was returned to her in full. It was a massive relief, she said.

“I am so happy [...] This is such a relief,” Marie Jean said.

While some psychics and astrologers may offer comfort to believers, police say that there have been cases of fraudulent activity in the past.

Police have issued warnings to be careful of psychics who claim they can solve your problems in exchange for large sums of money.