

Chris Herhalt, CP24.com





A 37-year-old self-purported psychic is in police custody on Thursday after he allegedly extorted $101,000 from a client, claiming the ability to rid the client’s sick family member of an “evil spirit.”

Toronto police investigators say that between February and March of this year, a man advertised his abilities as an astrologer and psychic in Toronto’s Rexdale neighbourhood.

He handed out business cards touting his skill in “black magic.”

During this time, a 44-year-old Brampton man approached the psychic and asked him for help with removing an “evil spirit” from his sick family member.

He went to the psychic at least 10 times, police said, paying larger and larger sums of money.

The psychic allegedly charged the client a total of $101,000 to remove the ghoul.

On Wednesday, a suspect identified as Murali Muthyalu, an Indian citizen visiting Canada, was arrested and charged with pretending to practice witchcraft, fraud over $5,000 and extortion.

According to the criminal code, pretending to practice witchcraft is defined as anyone who:

- pretends to exercise or to use any kind of witchcraft, sorcery, enchantment or conjuration,

- undertakes, for a consideration, to tell fortunes, or

- pretends from his skill in or knowledge of an occult or crafty science to discover where or in what manner anything that is supposed to have been stolen or lost may be found.

It is punishable with up to six months jail time.

It is believed Muthyalu used the alias “Master Raghav, in his dealings as a psychic.

He is expected to appear in court at College Park on Thursday.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call police at 416-808-5500, or Crime Stoppers at 416-222-8477 (TIPS).