Fraudster gets 10-year prison sentence for $175 million psychic scam
Patrice Runner, a 57-year-old Canadian national with dual citizenship in France, has been sentenced to ten years in prison for masterminding a large-scale psychic scam. The scam defrauded victims of over $175 million. A New York judge delivered the sentence today, following Runner's conviction on several charges including conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering in June. However, he was acquitted on four counts of mail fraud.
US authorities' long pursuit of culprit ends
US authorities have been tracking Runner since 2014. Chris Nielsen, the Inspector-in-charge of the US Postal Inspection Service's Philadelphia division, commented on the case's conclusion. "Patrice Runner's extravagant lifestyle, born on the backs of millions of older and vulnerable Americans, has come to an end," he said. Nielsen further deemed the ten-year sentence as a fitting punishment for Runner's fraudulent activities.
How did the psychic scam work?
Runner's fraudulent scheme involved mass-mailing letters, that appeared to be personalized by renowned French psychic Maria Duval. These letters promised recipients wealth and happiness with the psychic's assistance. The victims, often elderly and vulnerable individuals, were persuaded to pay for an "astral-clairvoyant forecast." After payment, they received additional letters requesting more fees and personal items, for alleged personalized rituals and astrological services.
Runner's defense and history of fraudulent activities
Despite his conviction, Runner maintains that his business operations were not illegal. He argued that unsatisfied customers would have requested refunds. "Maybe it's not moral, maybe it's bullshit," he told Walrus magazine. "But it doesn't mean it's fraud." Runner has a history of fraudulent activities. Canadian authorities previously convicted him for running scams in 1991 and 2000, related to clairvoyant services and misleading advertisements about weight-loss products, respectively.
Extent of Runner's scam and his elusive tactics
The court was informed that Runner's companies sent approximately 56 million letters over two decades, amassing $175 million from roughly 1.5 million people in Canada and the US. To hide his involvement in the scam, Runner used shell companies in Canada and Hong Kong. He frequently relocated, living in countries such as Switzerland, the Netherlands, France, Costa Rica, and Spain to evade authorities.
