Authorities in Austria are on the lookout for a woman alleged to have posed as a shaman, committing fraud that has reportedly netted her significant sums from vulnerable victims. The suspect, identified only as "**Mariana M**," is a 44-year-old Austrian citizen residing in Mödling, near Vienna. A European arrest warrant has been issued for her, as investigations reveal she may have manipulated individuals across Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.
During a police raid at her residence, officials uncovered cash, jewellery, and gold valued at more than **€10 million** (£8.3 million). Mariana M, who also went by the moniker "**Amela**," has a son aged 29, currently incarcerated in Wiener Neustadt over related investigations.
The police recount one particularly striking case involving a victim who was told that a "close relative had been cursed" and warned of their impending death. To purportedly lift this curse, Mariana M demanded **€730,000** for so-called “cleansing rituals.” After the victim complied and paid in multiple transactions, the suspect ceased communication. Later, the victim learned from another individual that the “shaman” had allegedly lapsed into a coma as a result of the fabricated ritual.
Franz Popp, Director of Police in Lower Austria, expressed concerns regarding the exploitation of individuals seeking spiritual guidance. He stated, "In a world where many search for answers to life’s fundamental questions, opportunists emerge claiming supernatural abilities." He urged anyone who might have also been victimized to reach out to the Lower Austrian State Office of Criminal Investigation.
During a police raid at her residence, officials uncovered cash, jewellery, and gold valued at more than **€10 million** (£8.3 million). Mariana M, who also went by the moniker "**Amela**," has a son aged 29, currently incarcerated in Wiener Neustadt over related investigations.
The police recount one particularly striking case involving a victim who was told that a "close relative had been cursed" and warned of their impending death. To purportedly lift this curse, Mariana M demanded **€730,000** for so-called “cleansing rituals.” After the victim complied and paid in multiple transactions, the suspect ceased communication. Later, the victim learned from another individual that the “shaman” had allegedly lapsed into a coma as a result of the fabricated ritual.
Franz Popp, Director of Police in Lower Austria, expressed concerns regarding the exploitation of individuals seeking spiritual guidance. He stated, "In a world where many search for answers to life’s fundamental questions, opportunists emerge claiming supernatural abilities." He urged anyone who might have also been victimized to reach out to the Lower Austrian State Office of Criminal Investigation.
