HICKSVILLE, N.Y. – A Long Island man is facing multiple charges after allegedly scamming an elderly woman out of thousands in a fortune-telling scheme.
Hemanth Kumar Muneppa, 33, was arrested by Nassau County Police on Thursday and charged with grand larceny and fortune-telling after reportedly defrauding a 68-year-old woman out of more than $60,000.
According to police, the victim first visited Anjana Ji, an astrology business on South Broadway, on July 3, where she paid $20,000 for fortune-telling services. A few days later, when she returned for additional services advertised as “evil spirit removal,” Muneppa allegedly demanded $42,000 more and personally drove her to a nearby bank to withdraw the funds.
Bank employees, suspicious of the transaction, alerted the authorities. Muneppa was arrested in the parking lot without incident. He is scheduled for arraignment Friday in Hempstead.
Under New York law, paid fortune-telling—unless done solely for entertainment purposes—is illegal. Services involving occult advice, evil spirit removal, or spiritual healing fall under a Class B misdemeanor if money is exchanged.
