NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A Manhattan psychic scammed a man out of more than $1 million over the course of eight months while promising to purge him of “dark spirits,” a complaint filed in Manhattan Supreme Court claims.
Shaina Samiel, who operates a storefront psychic business offering palm and love readings, met William Young when he was working next door at XoXo Bar in Hell’s Kitchen last year. Young claims he and Samiel became close after Samiel told him she could cure his mental health difficulties with a series of rituals.
The rituals came at a steep cost. Normally charging between $35 and $85 for readings, Young paid Samiel $100,000 for his first ritual in May 2021. The lawsuit claims later that month, Young made six more payments in one week each worth between $1,000 and $20,000.
Samiel took Young's patronage a step further the next month by insisting she needed a car to gather supplies for Young’s rituals and consult with her spiritual superiors about the matter. Young agreed to lease a car for Samiel with an initial down payment of $5,500 and payments totaling $86,500, the lawsuit reads.
Young was promised happiness and a soulmate if Samiel could rid him of the “strong dark spirits” cursing him and his family.
Eventually Young ran out of money to continue paying his “spiritual mother” as she labeled herself. He began to use his family’s bank account and nearly went bankrupt trying to maintain her services, eventually deciding to file a lawsuit.
WCBS 880 nattempted to reach Samiel for comment but did not get a response.
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