Psychic Reader Pleads Guilty to Stealing $16 Million from Oregon Man

PORTLAND, Ore. - Rachel Lee, 43 of Canby, Oregon, faces up to nine years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a scheme to defraud a victim of approximately $16 million dollars.  On October 14, 2014 before U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Jones, Lee pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and one count of criminal failure to file personal income taxes.

By her guilty plea, defendant Lee admits that she conspired with at least one other person to make false or misleading promises which caused the victim to part with his money and to provide other personal information to defendant.  Based on false statements from the defendant, the victim granted defendant access to and control of his bank accounts.  Additionally the defendant told the victim he needed to sell his business holdings in order to pay for taxes due and owing.

Defendant Lee further admitted that she conspired with others to spend the proceeds of the fraud on items including but not limited to the July 27, 2012 purchase of a 2012 Bentley and a 2012 Ferrari.

The defendant is in custody and sentencing is scheduled for January 20, 2015.  By the terms of Lee’s plea agreement, she will be sentenced to no less than 87 months and no more than 108 months in prison and ordered to pay full restitution.  She has also agreed that assets seized by agents during the course of the investigation will be forfeited and the proceeds provided to the victim to offset restitution.  Seized assets in this case include $1.9 million in cash, multiple vehicles, and ten parcels of property.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations and the Canby Police Department with assistance from the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General, Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, Portland Police Department, and the Oregon Department of Justice.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna Maddux and Assistant U.S. Attorney AnneMarie Sgarlata.