The investigation revealed how the alleged perpetrators threatened their victims with imminent death and demanded jewelry for "rituals."
The scammers made a profit of more than 60.000 euros.
The Civil Guard at the Vecindario Main Post has dismantled an alleged criminal network engaged in fraud, embezzlement, coercion, and bodily harm, operating under the guise of spiritualism and Santeria services.
The investigation, which began last August, has revealed the modus operandi of two women who took advantage of the extreme vulnerability of their victims, one of whom was affected by the depression of a family member.
One of the victims, desperate for her relative's emotional state after the death of another loved one, contacted a social media profile offering spiritual healing. From the outset, the alleged perpetrators deployed a strategy of brutal psychological pressure, claiming that the victim's husband had "three days left to live" and that other family members would suffer imminent deaths and illnesses. This climate of terror was the trigger for demanding an initial cash payment of 5.800 euros.
The excellent work of the Civil Guard investigation team has been key to reconstructing the escalation of the scam. The officers were able to document how the attackers, taking advantage of the victim's submission and panic, convinced her to hand over a large quantity of family jewelry, under the guise of a "sacrifice" ritual. The value of these jewels was appraised at approximately €30.000.
The police investigation didn't stop there; through analysis of WhatsApp conversations, audio recordings, social media, and bank transactions, officers obtained irrefutable evidence of the deception.
One of the most compelling pieces of evidence was the discovery that the alleged fraudsters displayed the stolen jewelry in live videos on their social media accounts, where the stolen jewelry was unmistakably recognized by the victim.
In addition to the financial losses, which totaled 60.800 euros in cash and jewelry, the investigation has uncovered extremely abusive practices. The victims were subjected to rituals that involved cutting their backs, an act for which they were charged 6.500 euros and which has been classified as an alleged minor offense of bodily harm.
A turning point in the investigation was the collaboration with experts in religions such as Yoruba and Palo Mayombe. Their statements confirmed that predicting death is impossible, a common technique used by con artists; that the prices demanded were exorbitant; and that sacrificing gold or silver jewelry is a nonexistent practice in their religions.
Thanks to meticulous identification work using police databases and contacting banks and telephone companies, officers were able to fully identify the two alleged perpetrators, who shared a home and bank accounts.
The Vecindario Civil Guard concluded this operation and began formally investigating the two women as alleged perpetrators of fraud, misappropriation, coercion, and bodily harm.
This case underscores the importance of being wary of those who exploit desperation and illness for personal gain. The case has been filed with the San Bartolomé de Tirajana Duty Court.
