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Deputies Accuse Tarpon Springs Psychic of Scheming to Defraud

Gina Wilson | Pinellas Sheriff | Arrests

Pinellas County deputies say the woman scammed about $155,353 from a veteran and a widow.

TARPON SPRINGS – A woman who claimed she is a psychic was arrested and accused of scamming a military veteran and a widow out of thousands of dollars, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said.

Gina Theresa Wilson, 31, of Tarpon Springs, was charged with one count of scheming to defraud. The scheme occurred between June 2015 and October 2016, deputies said.

The investigation began in November when a 33-year-old a military veteran, suffering from emotional distress, reported he had been scammed by a Tarpon Springs psychic who was identified as Wilson. The man told deputies during a Fraud Awareness seminar hosted by the Sheriff’s Office at the Palm Harbor Community Center.

The veteran told deputies he visited Wilson multiple times at her business over a 15 month period. Deputies said Wilson instructed him to stop taking his prescribed medications, alter his bank accounts and to stop seeing his therapist and doctor. The man continued to pay Wilson for psychic services totaling about $92,000 before realizing he was being scammed.

While investigating those allegations, deputies learned of a 61-year-old woman from Palm Harbor who told deputies she had visited Wilson hoping for help with continued grieving after her husband passed away.

The woman said that Wilson assured her that she would be able to help and claimed she could help her husband “pass over to the other side.” The woman was led to believe the ongoing treatment methods provided by Wilson were working and as such, she continued to give Wilson more money. When Wilson asked her for another large sum of money to perform a ceremony at her husband’s grave site, deputies said, the widow realized she was being scammed and contacted law enforcement. The woman had sustained a financial loss of about $63,353, deputies said.

That brought the total money Wilson got from both the veteran and the widow to about $155,353, deputies said.

The investigation continues and deputies are asking any potential victims to contact the Sheriff’s Office, Detective S. Bingham at (727) 582-6786.

For information about the Pinellas sheriff, go to pcsoweb.com.

Pinellas Sheriff | Psychic | Crime | Arrests | Scam | Tampa Bay News | TB Reporter

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