It should be noted that being a "witch" or practising "witchcraft" is not a crime. It using (or purporting to use) witchcraft to defraud that is illegal. Still, it is a very rare charge -- I have never seen it before -- and perhaps it would be better to just charge simple fraud.
'Witch' was wicked, police say
http://mobile.thestar.com/mobile/NEWS/article/736959
Jesse McLean
staff reporter
Police have dusted off an old chapter of the Canadian Criminal Code and charged a woman with posing as a witch, allegedly to defraud a Toronto lawyer of more than $100,000.
Vishwantee Persaud, 36, is accused of conning veteran criminal lawyer Noel Daley by saying she was the embodiment of his deceased sister, whose spirit would guide him to financial success.
"She told (Daley) that she had a history in her family of them being sort of good witches, or having occult powers, and that she could do a tarot card reading for him," said Det. Const. Corey Jones.
James Morton
1100-5255 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6P4
416 225 2777
7 comments:
"Still, it is a very rare charge -- I have never seen it before -- and perhaps it would be better to just charge simple fraud. "
Is there something about the witchcraft offence in particular that would make it easier to convict her or allow a greater sentence? It certainly does seem kind of pointless.
My view: if someone tells you they are a mystic, a witch, a sorcerer or someone else with similar powers; and you believe them; and you cough up all your money you have no one but yourself to blame. Adults shouldn't need the state to protect them from people who claim to be witches.
David, she was also charged with fraud etc. My guess is they threw the book at her and added witchcraft as a tag on offence.
Seriously. I don't understand how someone can be 'shocked' when they realize they were duped by someone who claimed to be able to read tarot cards. "gee didn't see that one coming".
The papers say it is a charge with lesser penalties than simple fraud. I thought that the police were going easy on her, because they didn't have a lot of sympathy for an educated lawyer who forked out 100G to an "embodied spirit". But James C. Morton says otherwise.
Thanks, James.
I am a Tarot Card Reader. I am not a fortune teller. I am a Christian and being a Tarot Reader is not about my religion. Linking the term witchcraft with Tarot Reading is cruel and wrong. I do not pretend to do anything; neither do I dupe anyone out of their life savings.
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