By Perry Duffin
A self-proclaimed “gypsy healer” who allegedly fleeced grieving Sydneysiders of their fortunes is part of a multi-generation crime family, which was once caught in a covert television sting, police claim.
Police documents, released by the NSW Supreme Court, allege the Williams family have been scamming people using bogus psychic claims since as early as 2002.
Self-described “gypsy” Maria Williams is accused of scamming a vulnerable woman using a bizarre cleansing ritual.
Maria Williams, 47, and husband Larry, were arrested by police in August last year after a heartbroken woman allegedly sold her home and transferred $160,000 to the psychic.
Police alleged Maria, who also goes by Anna Woods, Anna Wilson, Charlotte Woods, Celine Woods, and Amina Adams, had offered to “spiritually cleanse” the money and return it to the woman, but only a fraction of the funds ever trickled back to the victim.
The Herald revealed the Williamses’ arrests in October, shortly before Maria’s sister Tina Montana was dragged into the investigation and also charged with fraud in November. All three remain behind bars and are awaiting trial after denying the charges.
Late last month, Maria asked the NSW Supreme Court to release her on bail and the full scope of the bizarre investigation was revealed, including details of a man calling himself “the King of the Gypsies” who offered to help catch the alleged fraudsters.
Tina Montana, the sister of accused scammer Maria Williams, outside Bankstown Local Court in September 2024.Credit: Steven Siewert
In 2002 the first victim, a woman from Perth, allegedly lost $40,000 to Maria, who had been impersonating an established clairvoyant known as Mrs Adams.
Maria allegedly fled Western Australia with the woman’s money – the loss ultimately cost the victim her home and her marriage – relocating to Sydney, where police say another woman handed over $224,000 for psychic services between 2003 and 2005.
The woman had pawned jewellery, had borrowed from friends and family and had taken out personal loans to fund the psychic, police allege.
By 2006, the woman realised she had been conned and went to police, but Williams had fled the country, the court documents say.
Maria Williams recorded in a Today Tonight hidden camera sting in 2005.Credit: Seven Network
The Williams family had vanished months earlier after being outed by Seven’s Today Tonight program.
Police told the court Today Tonight’s “hidden camera undercover sting” recorded Maria and her mother-in-law Loretta Williams soliciting funds to remove a curse.
The police documents claim Maria resurfaced in Victoria in 2015 and began running psychic scams again, netting about $400,000 before Victorian police began circling.
The Williamses fled to Queensland and then to NSW, where they took up with Larry’s sister Nina Williams, the documents claim.
Loretta Williams, Maria’s mother-in-law, confronted by Seven reporters in 2005, shortly before the family allegedly fled Australia.Credit: Seven Network
Nina, another fake psychic, allegedly defrauded more than $2.4 million from twin sisters aged in their 60s who had sold off the family home.
An arrest warrant is currently out for Nina Williams, who is believed to be hiding out in Canada.
A crystal ball seized in the investigation into the Williams alleged psychic crime family.Credit: NSW Police
Maria and Larry, and other members of the family, allegedly carried out various scams in Sydney from 2016 until the latest allegations of fraud prompted a new police investigation.
Maria, allegedly using one of her fake identities, spoke to a woman who was going through a divorce and needed to sell her home to pay back her friends and family $160,000.
She allegedly convinced the woman that repaying her loved ones would pass a curse or “bad spirits” on to them. Instead, the money should go to Maria for “cleansing”.
Maria told the woman she would transfer the de-cursed money back to her but, when police caught up with the psychic, she was about to board a plane with a one-way ticket to Britain.
Larry, their son and Tina were all preparing to “permanently” leave Australia on the flight, police say.
Days after Maria’s arrest, a man calling himself “the King of the Gypsies” reached out to police claiming he was a private investigator on the trail of the alleged scammers.
The King, real name Michael Sterio, allegedly offered to help detectives. He denied he was related to the Williams family or Montana, police told the court.
But then investigators allegedly discovered Sterio was Maria’s uncle, and that he had been passing false information on instruction of the family, a court document penned by the lead detective reads.
Late last month, Maria shook her head as Justice Julia Lonergan worried aloud about the alleged fraudster trying to flee the country if released on bail.
“I won’t engage in anything,” Maria told the court.
Lonergan said Maria had a background of “demonstrated fraud and manipulation”.
“What I’m dealing with here is a woman of substantial skill and ability in the arts of lying and manipulation,” Lonergan said.
“I have a real concern (Williams) will direct some of her energy to avoiding appearing in court.”
Lonergan refused Maria’s release on bail.
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