A convicted fraudster who pretended to be an Irish heir and stole tens of thousands of dollars from multiple victims should be extradited to Britain, a federal court has ruled.
Marianne Smith, whose accusers say she disguised herself as a witch, a psychic and a friend of a Hollywood star, is in a Maine prison awaiting extradition.
She is accused of stealing more than $170,000 from victims in Northern Ireland between 2008 and 2010.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John Nivison ruled on Thursday that there was sufficient evidence to warrant Smith’s extradition to the United Kingdom to face charges.
Mr. Nivison wrote that Mr. Smith will be held in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending an extradition decision by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Smith’s attorney, who has previously declined comment, did not respond to calls or emails Thursday.
A judge’s decision to extradite Smith could end a strange story in which his victims have portrayed him as a master of disguise and a seasoned con artist.
Mr Smith has been charged with four counts of fraud by abuse of position under the UK Frauds Act 2006 and four counts of theft under the Northern Ireland Theft Act 1969, Mr Nivison wrote.
Overseas authorities said Smith stole money promised to be invested and then arranged to sell a house to the victim, who then accepted the money.
A court in Northern Ireland issued a warrant for her arrest earlier this decade.
“The evidence presented regarding Ms. Smith’s interactions and transactions with individuals is sufficient to support the four counts of fraud and four counts of theft that are the subject of the extradition request,” Nivison wrote. .
Smith’s case is similar in some ways to that of Anna Sorokin, a fraudster who was convicted of pretending to be a German heiress and paying her living expenses.
Among Smith’s victims was Jonathan Walton, a podcaster who alerted others to Smith’s woes.
Smith was convicted of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from Walton and spent nearly two years in prison.
The two became close in Los Angeles, where Ms. Smith told Ms. Walton that she was to receive a $7 million inheritance from a wealthy Irish family, but received $200,000 from the travel agency where Ms. Smith worked. Smith’s story began to fall apart when Walton learned that he had been jailed for stealing. .
Walton used the podcast to gather information from Smith’s other accusers. Some accusers said Smith started a fake charity case, while others said she posed as everything from a cancer patient to Jennifer Aniston’s best friend.
Smith, who is actually an American, was found and arrested in February in Maine.
