Fake shaman: Million dollar safe exposes brazen fraud case in Lower Austria!

A spectacular fraud case shocked Austria when investigators from the Lower Austria State Criminal Police Office tracked down a self-proclaimed shaman who is said to have swindled more than 730,000 euros from her victims. The most spectacular find: a heavy safe hidden in a secret room in her son's house. The fire department even had to be called in when the safe, which weighed over 1,000 kilograms, was opened. Ultimately, the old Flex was used, and the investigators were amazed at its contents: 4.1 million euros, 2.1 million Swiss francs and 500 German marks were found. This discovery catapults the “Amela” case into one of the largest fraud cases in the history books of Lower Austrian criminal history, as KURIER and kosmo.at report.

Mariana M., who acted under the name “Amela”, is said to have swindled her victims’ money through false fortune-telling and supposed “purification rituals”. In a particularly perfidious trick, she made her victims believe that their relatives were at risk of death, which led them to pay large amounts of money for her “rituals”. Meanwhile, her 29-year-old son is in prison on charges of serious fraud and money laundering. He refused to comment and is the owner of the house where the legendary safe was found. The authorities suspect that the mother and her son may have been supported by accomplices and were active throughout German-speaking countries for years.

International investigations and manhunts

The case not only caused a stir in Austria, but also took on international dimensions. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner emphasized close cooperation with German and Swiss authorities to determine the extent of the fraud and find further victims. With 64,000 cases of fraud in 2023, this scam represents a serious problem, especially against naive people in emotional crises. Karner warns urgently about the commercial interests behind such esoteric offers. “Skepticism is the best protection,” he emphasizes. The police are also asking anyone who may also have been a victim of “Amela” to call 059133 303333. Information about their whereabouts is also welcome and will be received under strict confidentiality.