Convicted Scammer Who Victims Say Claimed to Be Psychic, Irish Heiress Faces Extradition to UK

Convicted Scammer Who Victims Say Claimed to Be Psychic, Irish Heiress Faces Extradition to UK
Johnathan Walton, and Mary Smyth pose during her treetrimming Christmas party in Los Angeles in Dec. 2013. Johnathan Walton via AP
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A woman accused by scam victims of crisscrossing the U.S. claiming to be an Irish heiress is expected in court Wednesday for a hearing that could extradite her to the United Kingdom.

Marianne Smyth, a 54-year-old American, will be in federal court in Maine for the hearing that relates to allegations she stole more than $170,000 from at least five victims from 2008–2010 in Northern Ireland. United Kingdom officials said Ms. Smyth stole money that she had promised to invest and arranged to sell a victim a home but took the money.