SANTA ANA—Lisa Debbie Adams, 35, pleaded not guilty Monday to allegedly stealing more than $200,000 from a client by claiming to be a psychic working to rid the victim of a curse inherited while in her mother's womb, according to prosecutors.
The victim, a 37-year-old woman from Irvine, was walking in West Hollywood when Adams confronted her with a flier advertising her business as a psychic, said Orange County Deputy District Attorney Matt Lockhart.
"[The woman's] love life was not where she wanted it," Lockhart said. Adams allegedly told her that for a fee, she could cleanse the woman's curse.
Between June 2008 and August 2009, Adams had the woman open several credit card accounts to buy jewelry, clothing, electronics, and a Mercedes-Benz convertible that the victim could not afford and was forced to sell back to a dealership for a $5,000 loss, Lockhart said. Adams also allegedly directed the woman to buy $30,000 in gold bars as a protective "shield," Lockhart said.
Adams is charged with 32 felony counts, including second degree commercial burglary, two felony counts of credit fraud, and one felony count of grand theft. Charges were filed Thursday and Adams was arrested on Friday, Lockhart said. She faces a maximum sentence of 30 years and four months in state prison.
Adams is next due in court April 26.
—City News Service contributed to this story.
