Gina Rita Russell, 35, a self-proclaimed psychic who previously lived in New York and Los Angeles, has been sentenced to 125 months (more than 10 years) in prison for orchestrating an elaborate extortion scheme that led a Maryland man to embezzle more than $4 million from his Washington, DC employer.

Russell, along with five accomplices, convinced the victim that she possessed psychic powers and that he was in grave danger.

Officials say she manipulated him into believing he had to pay large sums of money to appease evil forces she believed posed a threat to his life and the lives of his loved ones.

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Under Russell’s influence, the victim embezzled money and gold bars from his employer and delivered them to various drop-off locations, including hotel rooms in New York, under the false pretense that he wanted to bribe dangerous individuals.

In reality, the money went directly to Russell’s family members.

Russell pleaded guilty in 2019 to interfering with interstate commerce through racketeering. Her sentencing was originally scheduled for May 2024, but was expedited after authorities discovered that Russell had engaged in similar criminal activity in Los Angeles, defrauding another person using her alleged psychic powers.

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In addition to the prison sentence, Russell was ordered to pay more than $4 million in damages to the victim and his former employer.

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