Jail looms for witch doctor over fake cures

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A "witch doctor" who conned vulnerable people into giving her 1 million ($1.97 million) to pay for spiritual cures for their serious health problems is facing a substantial jail term, an English judge said yesterday.

Juliette D'Souza, 59, claimed the money would be hung from a magic tree in the Amazon rainforest, but actually spent it on antiques, jewellery, Louis Vuitton handbags, holidays, flights and flats in London.

But her lies were finally uncovered - along with a treasure trove of "voodoo black magic", including an abandoned monkey and freezers stuffed with rotting meat.

She was found guilty yesterday of 23 counts of obtaining property by deception and fraud and was due to be sentenced today.

Judge Ian Karsten told her lawyer: "I am concerned with your client's record of dishonesty, with the fact that she faces a substantial prison sentence.

"With this history of confidence trickery I really can't rely on your client turning up tomorrow. She will have to be remanded in custody straight away."

D'Souza claimed she had known Princess Diana and that she had cured John Cleese's daughter of cancer. She also said she could introduce a young singer to Simon Cowell.

However, in reality she was a convicted fraudster who had served time in prison.

In one case, a 41-year-old woman paid D'Souza 176,000 to help her conceive.

When the woman did become pregnant, D'Souza told her to abort the baby, saying it was deformed.

In another, a photographer paid her 43,000 to help his mother, who was undergoing heart surgery. She told him that "his mother would die if he didn't pay".

A retired solicitor paid D'Souza 7000 to try to cure him of leukaemia, while the mother of a 10-year-old boy with Down syndrome handed over 42,000 to deal with his behavioural problems.

At the heart of the scam was Hampstead osteopath Keith Bender who unwittingly referred patients to her in the genuine belief she could help.

He received payments of up to 55,000 a time into his bank account on D'Souza's behalf and even travelled with her to the remote jungles of Suriname.

- Independent