In a shocking turn of events, Patrice Runner, a notorious fake psychic, has been found guilty of orchestrating a grandiose mail fraud scheme that has defrauded vulnerable victims out of over $175 million. The verdict, delivered on Friday, leaves Runner facing the daunting prospect of spending the rest of his life behind bars, with a potential sentence of up to 280 years in prison, as announced by the US Department of Justice.
Runner, a cunning Canadian fraudster who also holds French citizenship, masterminded this fraudulent operation over several decades, targeting millions of Americans through an elaborate mass-mailing ring. Exploiting the vulnerability of his victims, particularly the elderly, Runner shamelessly posed as the renowned psychic Maria Duval, enticing them with false promises of fortune and happiness in exchange for monetary compensation.
The letters sent by Runner were meticulously designed to deceive, appearing to be personalized with handwritten annotations and tailored details about the recipients. However, it was later revealed that these letters were mostly identical and mass-produced, allowing the fraudsters to dispatch tens of thousands of them each week. The personal information used in the letters was allegedly obtained from data brokers, further exemplifying the extent of Runner’s deceitful practices.
Once victims succumbed to the initial bait and paid the required fees, they were relentlessly bombarded with a barrage of additional “personalized” letters, each demanding more money to access supposed services and guidance from Duval. Many victims fell prey to this malicious scheme, losing thousands of dollars in the process, as attested by the Department of Justice.
While Maria Duval does exist as a real person, she had no involvement in the mail fraud scheme. Investigative efforts concluded that the correspondences were not sent or received by genuine clairvoyants but were instead controlled by money-hungry conmen posing as a Montreal-based company called Infogest Direct Marketing, under Runner’s explicit direction.
Runner, who acted as the ringleader throughout the entire 20-year operation, operated under various aliases and utilized numerous shell companies to cover his tracks. He led a nomadic lifestyle, frequently changing his location across the globe, residing in countries such as Switzerland, France, the Netherlands, Costa Rica, and Spain, all in an attempt to conceal his involvement.
Finally, in December 2020, Runner’s life on the run came to an end when he was extradited from Spain to the United States. After a rigorous trial, a federal jury in the Eastern District of New York found him guilty on 14 counts of mail fraud, wire fraud, and related crimes. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, resulting in a total potential sentence of 280 years.
Inspector in Charge Chris Nielsen of the Postal Inspection Service’s Philadelphia Division expressed little surprise at the verdict, stating, “For over 20 years, Patrice Runner managed a predatory scheme that targeted older Americans by mailing personalized letters to millions of victims purporting to be from a world-renowned psychic.” The closure of this case marks a significant victory for justice.
In an effort to prevent future exploitation, the Justice Department took decisive action in 2016 by permanently shutting down the mail fraud scheme. The perpetrators, including Infogest Direct Marketing and its employees, were banned from utilizing the US Postal Service to send materials on behalf of any psychics, clairvoyants, or astrologers.
Reflecting on the enormity of the crimes committed, US Attorney Robert Capers for the Eastern District of New York stated, “To line their own pockets, the defendants preyed upon the superstition and desperation of millions of vulnerable Americans.” The significance of this case reaches far beyond the monetary loss, serving as a sobering reminder of the importance of protecting society’s most vulnerable members.
As the dust settles on this high-profile trial, the justice system has sent a resounding message that fraudsters and manipulators will face severe consequences for their actions. The potential 280-year prison sentence looming over Patrice Runner serves as a stern warning to those who dare to exploit and deceive others for personal gain.
