Woman arrested after using psychic to con mum out of $140m

A daughter reportedly cheated her elderly mum out of $142.42m (£117 million) worth of art by using ‘psychics’ who claimed the fortune was cursed.

Brazilian woman Sabine Coll Boghici, 48, was arrested along with three other members of a gang on suspicion of stealing hundreds of millions worth of art from her 82-year-old mother, Genevieve Boghici, police said in a statement.

The elderly mother is the wife of late art collector Jean Boghici who had a collection of coveted art and jewellery.

The scheme is said to have begun in January 2020, when a group of four decided to try and steal Genevieve's valuable fortune with the help of a 'seer'.

The fortune-teller reportedly convinced the mother that her daughter was becoming ill and needed 'spiritual treatment'.

Rio de Janeiro police officer Gilberto Ribeiro said that an accomplice posing as a psychic took the artwork from the mother's house, telling her the painting was cursed with 'negative energy' that 'needed to be prayed over'.

In a statement, Polícia Civil do Estado do Rio de Janeiro said (translated): "Civil police officers from the Special Delegation for Service to the Elderly (DEAPTI) arrested, this Wednesday (10/08), four members of a gang that stole more than R$ 725 million (£115 million) from an elderly woman, among works of art by renowned artists Dos, jewellery and bank transfers.

"According to investigations, the criminal endeavor was articulated by the victim’s daughter and the coup began rolling out in January 2020.

"The elderly woman, who is the widow of a large art collector and merchant, was convinced to pay exorbitant amounts for the spiritual treatment of her daughter, who, according to one of the gang members who presented as a seer, would be ill and die soon.

"In today's action, some abstract works were recovered.

"Among them, the painting 'Sol Poente' by the artist Tarsila do Amaral, valued at R$250 million (£40 million).

"Previously, other canvases, which together amounted to around R$300 million (£48 million), had been recovered in an art gallery in São Paulo."

The video below shows a number of paintings which were recovered underneath a mattress.

One of the paintings found including none other than the coveted Tarsila do Amaral’s 'Sol Poente', or 'Setting Sun'.

The Tarsila do Amaral's painting, valued at R$250 million (£40 million) was believed to have been found 'under the false seer's bed'.

UNILAD has contacted Polícia Civil do Estado do Rio de Janeiro for additional comment.