Long Island fortune teller arrested after charging woman more than $60,000, police say
A New York City man is facing grand larceny and fortune telling charges on Long Island.
Nassau County Police said Hemanth Kumar Muneppa was arrested Thursday in Hicksville.
Police said Muneppa charged a 68-year-old woman $20,000 for fortune telling services back on July 3. She returned for additional services Thursday at Anjana Ji on South Broadway.
The company's says it offers a variety of astrology services, including "evil spirit removal" and "love spell caster."
Muneppa asked the woman to pay an extra $42,000, and she was driven to a bank on Broadway to withdraw the money, according to police. Questions were raised when she went to make the withdrawal, and police were called.
Officers arrested Muneppa in the parking lot without incident. He is scheduled to be arraigned Friday in Hempstead.
Is fortune telling against the law in New York?
According to New York State law, it is illegal to charge for fortune telling services, unless solely for entertainment or amusement purposes. Fortune telling is considered a class B misdemeanor.
"A person is guilty of fortune telling when, for a fee or compensation which he directly or indirectly solicits or receives, he claims or pretends to tell fortunes, or holds himself out as being able, by claimed or pretended use of occult powers, to answer questions or give advice on personal matters or to exorcise, influence or affect evil spirits or curses; except that this section does not apply to a person who engages in the aforedescribed conduct as part of a show or exhibition solely for the purpose of entertainment or amusement," .
Nassau County Police urge anyone who may have been a victim in this case to call 516-573-6200.
