Empire of the Odd

A Johnson County woman says she lost about $15,000 to a psychic who claimed she could rid her of a malevolent spirit.

The self-proclamed psychic, Nancy Annette Marks, 57, was charged Tuesday with felony theft.

The alleged victim said Marks took advantage of the fact that she was in a low place in her life.

“She was very supportive and compassionate and convinced me that I had an evil spirit in my life,” the woman, who asked not to be identified, told The Star.

The woman said she gave the money to Marks over two to three months because the psychic told her she needed to perform certain rituals with it to drive away her troubles. The woman said that when she asked for her money back, Marks wanted even more. So the went to police.

Marks is charged in Johnson County District Court with using deception to get money and alcohol from a client. She made an initial court appearance Tuesday and was released on $2,500 bond. Her next court appearance is Feb. 23 for a scheduling conference.

Marks’ attorney could not be reached for comment.

Authorities are investigating whether others were victimized.

Officer Gary Mason, spokesman for the Overland Park police, said people who believe they were victimized by Marks are encouraged to contact the district attorney’s office or their local police department.

By Tony Ortega Tue., Feb. 14 2012 at 3:16 AM

Shocking news this morning from journalist Bryan Seymour in Australia. In a story for the program TodayTonight that took him more than a year to put together, Seymour blows the lid off a re-education camp operated by Scientology in a suburb of Sydney, where children as young as eight years old have worked long hours for no pay. One of those kids, Shane Kelsey, now 21, finally left the camp last year, and Seymour was there to film Shane’s reunion with his father, who now feels horrible guilt for leaving the boy in the camp to begin with. At only 8 years old, Shane signed a billion-year contract with Scientology’s Sea Organization and was working 35 hours a week — by the time he was 15, he was working 100 hours, for about $35 a week.

In a statement, Scientology made its standard claim that its “Rehabilitation Project Force” (which Shane experienced at 16) is a voluntary program, and is intended for Sea Org members who “commit serious breaches of ecclesiastical rules.”

Let that sink in a minute. A prison-like camp for members who break ecclesiastical rules — while only 16 years old. Seymour let us know his story was coming. We’re printing here the script to his incredible expose of Scientology’s shameful child prison camp. We’re also printing in full the response sent by the church, and we have some words from Seymour himself about how he put together this project, which took 14 full months to come together.

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