Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Greenwich Village Psychic Convicted Of Swindling Clients Out Of $138K
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Oct 12, 2013
Modified Oct 12, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Oct 12, 2013
Modified Oct 12, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Greenwich Village psychic Sylvia Mitchell made waves in and out of the soothsayer realm a few years ago, when she was caught allegedly conning her clients out of thousands of dollars by getting them to do less than savory stuff like stuffing cash in jars. Over the years, even more clients have come forward to accuse Mitchell of swindling them, and yesterday, she was convicted of grand larceny and of scheming to defraud, and faces up to 15 years in prison. Considering her profession however, maybe this is all part of the plan.
The 39-year-old Mitchell, who was employed at Zena Clairvoyant, was accused of swindling two clients out of $138,000 in 2007 and 2008. One client, Debra Saalfield, says Mitchell told her she had been an Egyptian princess in her past life, and needed to give up her attachment to money. Saalfield did just that, relinquishing $27,000 to Mitchell; she was promised it back, but only eventually received $9,500. "I had a meltdown, I lost it, I was unable to keep myself together,” Saalfield told jurors. “I feel like as an intelligent educated woman it ‘s one of the most humiliating things that has ever happened to me.”
And client Lee Choong told jurors she gave Mitchell $128,000 over the years, with the promise she'd get it back if things in her life didn't improve. Like client Dane Chan, one of Mitchell's accusers back in 2010, Choong says she was told to stuff $18,000 in a jar to rid herself of "negative energy." That money, unsurprisingly, never reappeared.
Mitchell's attorney, William Aronwald, argued that his client's services were "contracted," and that she had not defrauded her clients. But the argument didn't fly in court. "She was clearly robbing these people in a heinous way,” one juror told the Times. Didn't take a psychic to figure that out! Schwing.
Mitchell will be back in court for sentencing on Oct. 29. Until then, she's being held in jail because the judge deems her a "flight risk," though it's unclear whether her means of flight would be a plane or a broom.
Tagged
court
greenwich village
psychic
sylvia mitchell
Rebecca Fishbein
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Early Addition: Eric Adams did not convince a Wisconsin town to build a data center
Because the vote against it was unanimous, here are your early links: Jacket weather, swishing your Guinness, spooky decorations in North Jersey and more.
By
James Ramsay
Published Oct 14, 2026 at 8:28 a.m. ET
Hit-and-run driver arrested trying to flee to Uzbekistan after deadly crash, NYPD says
Police arrested 22-year-old Sobirjon Abdurazakov for a hit-and-run that killed a 62-year old Lyft driver.
By
Brittany Kriegstein
News
Hit-and-run driver arrested trying to flee to Uzbekistan after deadly crash, NYPD says
Police arrested 22-year-old Sobirjon Abdurazakov for a hit-and-run that killed a 62-year old Lyft driver.
By
Brittany Kriegstein
NY measles outbreak more widespread than official count, health officials say
By
Caroline Lewis
A NYC judge brought his gun into court for an ‘experiment’. Now he’s censured.
By
Samantha Max
The Bronx is getting a new casino and a reimagined Ferry Point Park, too
By
Willow Higgins
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .