Psychic Bilked Veteran, Widow Out Of $155K: Deputies

TARPON SPRINGS, FL — A lengthy investigation into a Tarpon Springs psychic’s alleged criminal activities ended with the 31-year-old woman’s arrest. Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputies say Gina Wilson bilked the two victims who have been identified so far out of a combined $155,353.

The investigation into Wilson’s alleged fraudulent activities began back in November 2016 when a 33-year-old military veteran approached deputies at a fraud awareness seminar they were conducting in Palm Harbor. The victim, who suffers from emotional distress, told deputies he had visited Wilson on multiple occasions over a 15-month period, a Wednesday email from the sheriff's office said.

Get the Tarpon Springs Patch newsletter and alerts in your inbox.

“Wilson instructed the victim to stop taking his prescribed medications, alter his bank accounts and to stop seeing his therapist and doctor,” the May 24 email said. “The victim continued to pay Wilson for psychic services totaling approximately $92,000 before realizing he was being scammed.”

While investigating the veteran’s claims, deputies say they learned about a possible second victim. That person, a 61-year-old Palm Harbor woman, told them she began seeing Wilson “hoping for assistance with continued grieving after her husband passed away,” the email said.

Wilson is accused of promising the woman she could help her husband “pass over to the other side,” the sheriff’s office wrote. The woman reportedly continued to work with Wilson until the psychic is accused of asking for a “large sum of money to perform a ceremony at her husband’s grave site.”

When she realized “she was being scammed,” the woman contacted deputies, the sheriff’s office said. That contact was made after she had already allegedly paid Wilson more than $63,000.

Wilson was charged with scheme to defraud on Tuesday, May 23 and taken to the Pinellas County Jail. She was later released in lieu of $50,000 bond, jail records indicate.

Deputies say the investigation remains active with other potential victims asked to call Detective S. Bingham at 727-582-6786.

No further information is being released at this time.

Keep up with what’s happening by following Tarpon Springs Patch on Facebook.

Booking photo courtesy of the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office