A former insurance broker from
Alessandria was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of defrauding a
group of women who believed his claim to have divine powers and
the right to set up new 'holy families' with them, police said
in the coastal Tuscan city of Massa.
Police said the 42-year-old fake guru convinced the women he was
renewing the Catholic Church and was in contact with top
exorcists he named as Don Paolo, Don Carlos from Krakow, and Don
Josè from Portugal, police said.
He claimed the alleged exorcists ere suffering health problems
including heart attacks and needed money for care.
The women became devotees of his new cult, police said.
The cult followers gave him money to help him overcome the
'demons' he was battling, they said.
He also persuaded at least one victim to part with her cash by
saying that it needed to be 'purified', police said.
The man used the millions to buy luxury personal items and
several powerful cars, police said.
He has been charged with defrauding the mentally vulnerable.
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