Charlottesville fortune teller pleads guilty to mail fraud, money laundering
Defendant agrees to repay victims at least $1.2 million
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The former owner of a fortune teller business on Seminole
Trail in Charlottesville pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of mail fraud and one count of money laundering. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, the Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office and the Albemarle County Police Department.
Sandra Stevenson Marks, a.k.a. Catherine Marks, 42, of Charlottesville, laundered more than $1 million in stolen funds from her victims. The plea agreement she signed Tuesday requires her to repay at least $1.2 million in restitution to the victims of her scheme.
“Ms. Marks took advantage of people who trusted her during some of the lowest points of their lives,” U.S. Attorney John P. Fishwick Jr. said. “Greed drove this defendant to break federal law and steal over $1 million from her victims. We are grateful to those who investigated this case and helped begin the process of making these victims whole again.”
“A fortune teller cons clients out of more than one million dollars, then launders the proceeds and commits mail fraud. This sounds like the plotline for a Hollywood movie. Unfortunately, for Ms. Marks’ victims, this was reality,” said Clark E. Settles, special agent in charge of HSI Washington, D.C. “I hope everyone appreciates, as much as I do, the HSI special agents who worked alongside our federal partners and the Albemarle County Police Department to investigate Marks and provide relief to the victims in the form of $1.2 million in restitution.”
Marks and her husband operated Readings by Catherine on Seminole Trail in Charlottesville, which offered palm, candle, tarot card, astrological and spiritual readings to clients.
Marks admitted through a statement of facts submitted to the court and signed by the defendant that she enriched herself by telling her clients she was clairvoyant and able to see into the past and future. Marks also said she told her clients she had a “gift from God” and was able to communicate with spirits and guides from God, including the “Prince of Illusion,” who relayed information to her about clients.
Marks told clients they or their family suffered from a “curse” or a “dark cloud” from an event that occurred in the past. Marks told clients to sacrifice large amounts of money and valuables to her so she could bury the money and items in a box to be “cleansed.” Marks said the money and property would be returned to her clients once the “work” was complete. Additionally, Marks told clients the money and property would not be used for Marks’ own personal benefit.
Contrary to her representations to clients, Marks kept and used money and other valuables provided by her clients for her and her husband’s personal use and enjoyment. Once Marks had used all of her clients’ money, Marks would find new clients to fund the scheme or tell existing clients that additional money was required to continue her “work.”
Marks faces up to 20 years in federal prison on both the mail fraud count and the money laundering count. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
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