Cops: Fortune Teller Conned 'Vulnerable' Clients Out of $46M

A purported fortune teller and her daughter are accused of scamming clients, including some who complained of financial hardship, out of a whopping $46 million. Anya Phan, 53, who claimed to be a fortune teller and feng shui master, was taken into custody in an affluent neighborhood of Sydney, Australia, on Wednesday, along with her unnamed 25-year-old daughter, per ABC Australia. Authorities allege the pair played key roles in a sophisticated fraud and money laundering operation, targeting "vulnerable" Vietnamese community members. Police say Phan convinced clients that a billionaire benefactor would change their fortunes if they took out loans, from which she benefited, per the BBC.

Phan is facing 39 charges, including directing a criminal group and obtaining financial gain by deception, while her daughter is charged with seven offenses, including dealing with proceeds of crime. The mother was denied bail, while her daughter was released pending a court date in January. During their arrest at a multimillion-dollar mansion, officers seized financial records, luxury goods, a gold bar, and thousands of dollars in casino chips. Phan is said to be a VIP at a local casino. Authorities say she arrived in Australia in 2001 and later became a citizen, but has not worked and is now receiving disability support payments, per ABC.

Investigators also froze about $10 million in assets, on top of $40 million previously seized in a widening probe. The investigation, dubbed Strike Force Myddleton, initially focused on fraudulent car loans for nonexistent luxury vehicles but has since uncovered what police describe as one of the country's most elaborate financial crime syndicates. Authorities claim the group used stolen identities to secure loans and defrauded major banks of up to $165 million, with help from allegedly corrupt insiders. Over a dozen people have already been charged, and police expect more arrests, focusing on the lawyers, accountants, and other professionals suspected of facilitating the scheme, the BBC reports.