Scammer who claimed to be an Irish heiress should be extradited to UK, judge rules

A national tribunal has ruled a convicted scammer who claimed to beryllium an Irish heiress and who is accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from respective victims should beryllium extradited to the United Kingdom

PORTLAND, Maine -- A convicted scammer who claimed to beryllium an Irish heiress and who is accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from respective victims should beryllium extradited to the United Kingdom, a national tribunal has ruled.

Marianne Smyth, who accusers accidental has besides fashioned herself arsenic a witch, a psychic and a person to Hollywood stars, has been successful a Maine jailhouse waiting to larn if she volition beryllium extradited. She faces allegations that she stole much than $170,000 from the victims from 2008 to 2010 successful Northern Ireland.

U.S. Magistrate Judge John Nivison ruled connected Thursday that determination is capable grounds to certify Smyth's extradition to the U.K. to look charges. Nivison wrote that Smyth volition beryllium successful custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending a determination connected extradition by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

An lawyer for Smyth, who has declined to remark successful the past, did not respond to telephone calls and emails connected Thursday. The judge's ruling that Smyth should beryllium extradited could assistance bring astir the extremity of a bizarre saga successful which victims person painted Smyth arsenic a maestro of disguise and a seasoned traveling grifter.

Smyth faces 4 counts of fraud by maltreatment of presumption nether the U.K. Fraud Act of 2006, and 4 counts of theft successful usurpation of Northern Ireland's Theft Act of 1969, Nivison wrote. Authorities overseas person said Smyth stole wealth that she had promised to put and arranged to merchantability a unfortunate a location but took the money. A tribunal successful Northern Ireland issued apprehension warrants for her earlier this decade.

“The grounds presented regarding Ms. Smyth's interactions with and transactions involving the individuals ... is capable to prolong the 4 fraud charges and the 4 theft charges that are the taxable of the extradition request,” Nivison wrote.

Smyth's lawsuit is akin successful immoderate respects to that of Anna Sorokin, a scammer who was convicted of paying for her manner by impersonating a German heiress. Smyth's victims included Johnathan Walton, a podcaster who warned others of Smyth's grifts. Smyth was recovered blameworthy of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from Walton and spent astir 2 years successful jail.

The 2 had grown adjacent successful Los Angeles, and Smyth told Walton she was owed an inheritance of $7 cardinal from her affluent Irish family, but Smyth's communicative began to autumn isolated erstwhile Walton learned she was jailed for stealing $200,000 from a question bureau she worked for. Walton utilized his podcast to stitchery tips from Smyth's different accusers. Some of those accusers said Smyth started a fake foundation and others said she posed arsenic everything from a crab diligent to Jennifer Aniston's champion friend.

Smyth, who is successful information American, was recovered and arrested successful Maine successful February.