| For Immediate Release Case # 11HF1014 April 18, 2011 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
SELF-PROCLAIMED PSYCHIC TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR STEALING $200,000 FROM VICTIM UNDER FALSE PRETENSE OF CLEANSING A CURSE
SANTA ANA – A woman will be arraigned today for stealing over $200,000 from an Irvine victim by claiming to be a psychic working to rid the victim of a curse inherited while in her mother’s womb. Lisa Debbie Adams, 35, Los Angeles, is charged with 32 felony counts of second degree commercial burglary, two felony counts of credit fraud, one felony count of grand theft, and one felony count of dissuading a witness with sentencing enhancements for aggravated white collar crime over $100,000 and property loss over $200,000. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of 30 years and four months in state prison. Adams is being held on $250,000 bail and must prove the money is from a legal and legitimate source before posting bond. She is expected to be arraigned today, Monday, April 18, 2011, in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined.
In June 2008, Adams is accused of approaching 37-year-old Jane Doe, who was walking in West Hollywood with her friends and carrying an advertisement for a psychic. Adams is accused of identifying herself as a psychic and instructing the victim to make an appointment for a “cleansing” to get rid of her “darkness.”
After learning from Jane Doe that the victim had $100,000 in an IRA, the defendant is accused of meeting on several occasions with the victim in Adams’ West Hollywood apartment and Jane Doe’s Irvine workplace. Between June 2008 and August 2009, the defendant is accused of telling Jane Doe that she suffered a curse that had been placed on her mother’s womb. She is accused of instructing the victim to withdraw various amounts of money, as much as $96,000 at one time, in order to “cleanse” Jane Doe of the curse. Adams is accused of claiming to Jane Doe that she was working and performing meditations and rituals to rid the victim of her “evil.”
When Jane Doe informed Adams that she no longer wanted to work together, Adams is accused of telling the victim that they couldn’t stop now that they had started and the victim and victim’s family would be in danger of the curse if she didn’t follow the defendant’s instructions. The victim continued to comply for fear that her family would be in danger.
In addition to the cash withdrawals, Adams is accused of having Jane Doe buy $30,000 in gold bars to make a “shield” for protection and open several credit card accounts to purchase over $100,000 in luxury items and gifts to “ward off evil” including clothing, furniture, electronics, accessories, and jewelry. Adams is also accused of convincing Jane Doe to purchase a Mercedes convertible, for which she could not afford the payments and had to sell back to the dealership at a $5,000 loss.
In August 2009, Jane Doe reported the defendant to the Irvine Police Department (IPD), who investigated this case. Adams was arrested by IPD April 15, 2011, at her residence.
Deputy District Attorney Matt Lockhart of the Major Fraud Unit is prosecuting this case.
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