Pennsylvania Woman On Trial For Fortune-Telling
A Pennsylvania woman found herself in court again this week, as she was being prosecuted on charges of fortune-telling fraud. The case revolves around the woman persuading a client to use her services to lift a “dark cloud” out of her life in exchange for payments that reached tens of thousands of dollars.
The fortune teller is April Uwanawich, 38, of Philadelphia and she faces 55 counts of fortune telling, theft by unlawful taking and theft by deception in the Chester County Court of Common Pleas.
According to the police complaint, Uwanawich is accused of approaching Jennifer Gardiner at a convenience store back in 2009. At the time, Uwanawich said she could lift the cloud with “spells and curses.” For two years, she tried doing that, as Gardiner met with Uwanawich on a regular basis and Gardiner was “continually paying Uwanawich to work on her life, to rid it of evil and to get rid of spells and curses.”
The complaint goes on to say that Gardiner was persuaded into buying oils, perfumes, candles and crystals to help ward off evil spirits instead of taking prescribed mental health medication. Overall, Gardiner had “tens of thousands of dollars” of financial loss, but only $10,000 could be verified.
This is not the first time Uwanawich is being charged with crimes relating to fortune-telling! According to court records, she has two previous arrests for fortune-telling fraud in Chester County. In 2009, she plead guilty to stealing $23,000 from a woman to remove a curse and was ordered to pay court costs. In 2011, she plead guilty to taking $35,000 from a woman to remove a dark cloud from over her head and was sentenced to two years probation.
If Uwanawich is found guilty on all 55 counts and gets the maximum sentence, should would face a cumulative life sentence.
