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Fraud Trial of 'Psychic' Begins

Now that they've seated a 15-member jury, prosecutors in Fort Lauderdale say fortune-teller Rose Marks, 62, stole $25 million from clients in South Florida and New York, including $17 million from a romance novelist.

Colorful testimony on opening day said Marks and her family took advantage of people who were anxious and distressed about their love life, and that she promised to return money but never did.

Marks says she was paid for giving spiritual advice. The defense signaled it will also argue bias against gypsies.

The question that is most puzzling is why so many people kept giving Marks money -- even to the point of going into debt -- year after year.

 

Originally founded in December 2006 as an independent grassroots publication dedicated to coverage of health issues in Florida, Health News Florida was acquired by WUSF Public Media in September 2012.