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Seven “predators” are believed to have fled to China after robbing “huge amounts of money” and jewellery in a so-called spiritual blessings scam in NSW, police said.
Two people have been charged in Australia and a third is in custody in New Zealand, the force added, after more than 80 instances of the scam in Sydney, with more than $3 million in cash and valuables stolen.
Spiritual blessing scams are where victims are coerced into placing cash and jewellery in a bag, and told the bag needs to be blessed by a spiritual healer before it is returned empty.
Assistant commissioner Gavin Wood told reporters: “They are like piranhas. They are circling around people and robbing them of, in times, huge amount of money and their jewellery and their trusted property.
“There are no rules with these people. They’re predators. When they see an opportunity where they need to work as a group, they will work as a group. I’ve seen the footage of them in action, to use that term.
“It is sad to see. It is extremely sad to see how they act.”
Wood added that police were appealing to the Chinese community to be aware of the scam.
He added: “There are two people in the last two weeks that have been criminally charged, and are now in custody and they’re before the courts. There will be more.
“So I say to the people in the Chinese community — please be aware of it. Please have confidence in the NSW Police force to come forward and present any evidence or information if you have been subject to a blessing scam.”
The latest person charged in the investigation is a 62-year-old man who was extradited from Queensland.
Police will allege in court that the charged man was involved in defrauding a 77-year-old woman of a large sum of money and jewellery at Parramatta in June.
He was further charged with participating in criminal group activity and demanding property in company with menaces with intent to steal.
What are spiritual blessing scams?
Spiritual blessing scammers approach victims in public, often working in pairs or groups.
They will ask a victim if they know a spiritual healer and escalate the conversation, telling the victim their family are in danger and they will need to seek a spiritual blessing.
Often they threaten that the person or their family will be seriously injured if they don’t have their wealth blessed.
