Suspected fraudster arrested for posing as mystic love guru
Rehovot man allegedly promised his victims he could make their former romantic partners return, in exchange for thousands of shekels
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleMichael Bachner is a news editor at The Times of Israel
Police on Tuesday said they arrested a man suspected of swindling large sums of money out of women by presenting himself as a mystic who can rekindle flames with old love interests.
The man, 34, was arrested on Monday at his home in the city of Rehovot, following a months-long covert investigation, police said Tuesday in a statement.
According to police, the suspect created a website advertising his service, promising women he can cause their previous romantic partners to return in exchange for thousands of shekels.
On the website, he presented an invented news story containing his contact details and apparent recommendations, making it seem as if it had been published on a well-known Hebrew-language news website.
He allegedly told women who contacted him to transfer thousands of shekels to various bank accounts.
Police said the man’s victims had never seen him in person.
He was said to have tricked dozens of women using that method “while exploiting their distress.” In one case, police said, he defrauded a victim out of NIS 47,000 ($12,500).
The Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday extended the suspect’s detention by two days.
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