1.77 Million Euro Damage: Indictment of "Shaman" in Vienna

Dona D., as the 29-year-old is known by her real name, is accused of commercial serious fraud and criminal association.

According to the indictment, which is available to the APA, the damage is estimated at at least 1.77 million euros. Cash, jewelry, and other valuables of this total value were secured by the police in a safe and in hidden rooms on a property in Maria Enzersdorf (district of Mödling). The law enforcement authorities assume that these assets are the loot from the incriminated frauds.

The 44-year-old Mariana M. alias "Amela," the sister-in-law of "Anna" and alleged main perpetrator, is still being sought. She has disappeared from the scene. "Anna" was arrested last February and has been in pre-trial detention in Vienna since then.

Fraudulent Acts Since 2015 According to Indictment

According to the indictment, the two have been committing continued serious fraud since 2015. Dona D. has three relevant previous convictions. Mainly in Vienna, but also in Linz, Neusiedl am See, and Munich, "Anna" and "Amela" approached their later victims - mostly women - on the street and initially complimented them on their supposedly "beautiful aura." If people engaged with this topic, the two revealed themselves as alleged "shamans" and claimed they sensed a "discordant aura" or that the victims were afflicted by a curse.

Both this and impending doom could supposedly be averted for a fee. There was talk of an impending accidental death of a daughter, a fatal illness of a relative, or a "black circle" that had formed around one of the victims. This woman, who has since passed away, was particularly mistreated according to the indictment. To "penetrate the interior" and ward off the "black circle," more and more money was demanded until the "shaman" suddenly announced that the daughter of the deceived woman would "lie in blood," which could only be prevented with a human sacrifice and the drinking of animal blood or the handing over of "lifeless things." In the end, the defrauded woman lost all her money and jewelry.

Sometimes it was also said that existing cash or other valuables needed to be "cleansed," which were then not returned. Male victims, according to the indictment, were often asked by the swindlers for donations by pretending to be needy and destitute, bringing up urgently needed medical treatments or renovation work.

Practiced Rituals with Victims

"It was often claimed that the assets had to be handed over to the 'higher powers' and/or burned for purification purposes," according to the indictment. To substantiate their alleged shamanic calling, "Anna" and "Amela" practiced so-called rituals with the victims, by, for example, asking them to tie knots in a red thread and then say a prayer, after which the knots were supposed to dissolve "as if by magic." The victims were also deceived with a manipulated raw egg, which was cracked over their body or a piece of clothing they brought. After cracking the egg, a black spot was reportedly visible, which the "shamans" interpreted as a "demon" that had possessed the respective victim.

According to the indictment, the victims were increasingly cornered with calls and constant further contact attempts. At times, one "shaman" even claimed that her colleague had fallen into a coma due to the immense effort associated with the energetic work and was no longer reachable. One woman was made to believe that her son was "the savior of the world" and that a sacrifice was needed to support him. As a result, "Anna" was handed 30,000 euros in cash.

Two Men Also Charged with Money Laundering Among Other Things

The co-defendants are a 29-year-old, on whose property in Maria Enzersdorf the looted assets were partially moved and hidden, and his 47-year-old father. The latter was previously married to Mariana M. alias "Amela." The two men are said to have actively supported the "shamans" and invested their acquired cash. In addition to criminal association and involvement in the frauds, they are also accused of money laundering.

The indictment filed on Thursday is not legally binding. The defendants have 14 days to possibly contest it. This would result in a review by the Vienna Higher Regional Court. If this is not necessary, a trial date is expected in the fall.

(APA/Red)

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