WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Oct. 8 (UPI) -- Three members of a South Florida family involved in a psychic scam have been given short federal prison terms, house arrest or probation, officials say.
The two men and a woman were among nine members of a Gypsy family arrested in August 2011 on charges they stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from victims in Florida and New York, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Monday.
All but one reached plea agreements with prosecutors. The holdout was Rosa Marks, who was found guilty in September of masterminding the operation in which female family members used alleged psychic powers to defraud clients.
On Monday, Vivian Marks, 23, Rosa's granddaughter was sentenced to four months in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud with another four months of house arrest and three years of probation.
Prosecutors had requested a sentence of probation and six months in a federal halfway house.
She stole $180,000 from a Danish man, telling him the money would go to charities in Africa.
Rosa Marks' two sons, Ricky Marks, 42, and Michael Marks, 35, were sentenced to six months and eight months house arrest, respectively. Both men will also be on probation for two years.
The man had earlier pleaded guilty to a single count of wire fraud and mail fraud conspiracy.
Rosa Marks faces up to 20 years in prison for each of several counts on which she was convicted. Her sentencing date has not been announced.
