Man, 61, Extradited From Germany to Face Charges in Fake Psychic Mailing Scheme That Took Over $4 Million
The U.S. Department of Justice announced on November 3 that Mael Chemla, 61, was extradited to the United States from Germany and made his initial appearance in federal court in Miami, Florida, on November 2, to face charges for his role in operating a mailing fraud scheme built on fake psychics. Chemla, a U.S., French, and Israeli national, previously resided in Aventura, Florida.
According to the indictment, unsealed on November 2, Chemla allegedly conspired with others to send letters to victims throughout the United States that appeared to be personalized communications from psychics. The letters falsely informed victims that the psychic had learned of an imminent financial windfall the victim was entitled to receive, and that the victim needed to send a payment in order to receive it. Chemla allegedly opened U.S. bank accounts in the names of the purported psychics, deposited victims' checks into those accounts, and then wired the funds to European bank accounts controlled by a co-conspirator.
From September 2016 through November 2020, Chemla and his co-conspirator collected more than $4 million from thousands of victims in the United States, many of whom were elderly and otherwise vulnerable, the department said.
Chemla is charged with conspiracy, mail fraud, and wire fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on all counts. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Ann Entwistle and Charles Dunn of the Criminal Division's White Collar and Corporate Enforcement Section are prosecuting; the Justice Department's Office of International Affairs provided significant support in the litigation before the German extradition court and, once extradition was granted, coordinated with the U.S. Marshals Service to arrange Chemla's transport to the United States.
The department noted that an indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
(Source: U.S. Department of Justice)
Source: U.S. Department of Justice
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：位于华盛顿的美国司法部总部大楼（资料图），GSM 联邦机构固定图库。 / Photo: U.S. Department of Justice headquarters in Washington (file photo), GSM federal asset library.
