Fortune teller who police say used voodoo, Satanic items and a snake arrested after charging $50,000 to foil curse

A antheral claiming to beryllium a luck teller – and who constabulary accidental utilized voodoo, Satanic items and a snake to lure customers – was arrested connected suspicion of theft by mendacious pretenses aft a pistillate said she paid him $50,000 to get escaped of a curse.

The pistillate told constabulary she visited the concern successful the 3500 artifact of Arlington Avenue this summertime to person her luck read. Andres Pena Meneses, 31, who went by the sanction “Carlos,” convinced her she had parasites successful her assemblage that helium could region for a interest of respective 100 dollars, authorities said.

Meneses aboriginal contacted the pistillate galore times and convinced her that her household was cursed and her children were successful danger. In total, constabulary said, the pistillate paid Meneses implicit $50,000.

On Tuesday, Oct. 26, Riverside Police Department detectives served a hunt warrant astatine Meneses’ location and business.

While astatine the business, detectives encountered much of Meneses customers, who said Meneses had told them to bring him their mattresses from home, said Officer Ryan Railsback, spokesperson for the Riverside Police Department.

Detectives judge Meneses and his unit past planted a unrecorded snake and letters successful the mattresses truthful helium aboriginal could chopped them unfastened to amusement the customers their families were successful danger, Railsback said.

Investigators recovered a tiny favored python and its carrying instrumentality astatine the business.

The luck teller, identified arsenic Andres Pena Meneses, would works the unrecorded snake successful victims’ mattresses to marque them judge they were successful danger, constabulary said. (Photo courtesy of Riverside Police Department)

As a effect of the search, detectives besides located a “significant” magnitude of cash, a voodoo doll, tarot cards, altars, and spiritual and satanic-type objects, constabulary said successful a quality release.

Additional victims contacted by constabulary said Meneses advertised his services connected the vigor and claimed helium could cure customers of ailments specified arsenic diabetes, headaches, slumber disorders, and nightmares.

“Detectives judge determination are galore much victims and that the Spanish-speaking assemblage was specifically targeted,”  Railsback said.

Meneses was antecedently arrested and convicted successful Chicago successful 2019 for fraud and claiming to beryllium a religion healer, officials said. Detectives are inactive investigating however agelong Meneses, who is simply a Colombian national, has had his concern successful Riverside.

He was arrested and booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center connected Oct. 26 connected suspicion of expansive theft and theft by mendacious pretenses, some felonies. He was released aboriginal that time aft posting $57,000 bail.

No 1 other from the concern was taken into custody, Railsback said.

Anyone with further accusation should interaction Detective Cory Camp astatine (951) 353-7117 oregon CCamp@RiversideCA.gov.