Woman Accused of Bilking More Than $1 Mil From Elderly Seattlelite

A Lynnwood woman was charged Monday with nearly 50 counts of first degree theft for allegedly bilking an elderly woman out of more than $1 million.

Brenda Nicholas, 46, is accused of manipulating an 85-year-old Seattle woman out of $1,088,500 in cash during a nearly two year period, according to court documents.

Police say Nicholas met the victim at a Chinatown street fair in 2007. Using the name Monica Marks, Nicholas was working the fair as a palm reader. The victim, who police say was feeling alone and depressed, agreed to pay Nicholas for a palm reading. Nicholas allegedly told the woman "she had a gray aura about her" and needed help to make her feel better and get her life straightened out.

Nicholas convinced the victim she could help, but at a steep price, according to court documents.

Soon after their initial meeting, Nicholas brought the victim what she called a "special soap" made by a man named Father Thomas that would wash away her gray aura. The documents say Nicholas convinced the victim that Father Thomas could see the past, present and future and could cure her ills.

By September 2007, the victim told police that Nicholas was visiting every few days, and each time she visited she would give the victim an unknown pill meant to make her feel better. The victim said the pills made her feel like she was in "a fog."

Full Article and Source:
Woman Accused of Bilking More than $1 Mil From Elderly Seattleite