Hewlett 'psychic' charged with theft

A Hewlett woman who holds herself out as a psychic was arrested and charged with stealing more than $300,000 over the past 10 years from New Jersey victims who trusted her with their money, authorities said yesterday.

Paula Lee, 36, was taken into custody last week on Long Island by Nassau police and detectives from the Morris County, N.J., prosecutor's office, and transferred Tuesday from the Nassau jail to the Morris County jail, officials said. She was ordered held there on $75,000 cash bail, officials said.

Robert A. Bianchi, the Morris County prosecutor, said in a statement, "Ms. Lee, who is alleged to have fraudulently offered services to unsuspecting and vulnerable persons . . . failed to deliver the services offered, and had no intention of doing so . . . leeching money from numerous victims in violation of state law."

Lee is charged with theft by deception, theft by failure to make required disposition of property received, money laundering and income tax charges.

She currently lives at her place of business in Hewlett known as Psychic Readings by Anna, authorities said, but operated a business in Randolph Township, N.J., for a number of years. There, at least five victims gave funds to her, typically for "cleansing" through prayer at a church, authorities said. The victims expected to be returned to them, but they never received their money back, authorities said.

New Jersey authorities asked that anyone with additional related information concerning Lee contact the prosecutor's office at 973-285-6200 or the Morris County Sheriff's Office Crime Stopper Program at 973-COPCALL.