Marianne Smyth, a 54-year-old American, has woven a complex web of deceit across the United States, masquerading as an Irish heiress, a psychic, and claiming close ties with a movie star to perpetrate numerous frauds, according to her victims. Currently, Smyth finds herself behind bars in a Maine jail, awaiting a hearing that will determine if she will be extradited to the United Kingdom. This hearing, scheduled for next month, stems from allegations of her involvement in a scam that dates back over 15 years in Northern Ireland. Legal documents reveal that Smyth is accused of defrauding more than $170,000 from at least five individuals between 2008 and 2010 in Northern Ireland, leading to the issuance of arrest warrants in 2021. Her arrest last month in Maine marks a significant turn in her long history of alleged criminal activities.
Smyth’s case bears striking resemblance to that of Anna Sorokin, another grifter who was convicted in New York for funding her extravagant lifestyle by posing as a wealthy German heiress. Johnathan Walton, who himself fell victim to Smyth’s schemes to the tune of nearly $100,000, describes her as a “master of disguise,” adept at altering her appearance and story to fit each new target. Smyth, always clad in designer attire, convinced Walton of her need for money to access a supposedly frozen bank account and to post bail, all the while claiming she was the beneficiary of a $7 million inheritance from her affluent Irish family.
Over several years in Los Angeles, Smyth cultivated a close relationship with Walton, lavishing him with expensive dinners and luxury vacations. However, the facade began to crumble when Walton discovered that Smyth had been incarcerated for embezzling $200,000 from a luxury travel agency where she was employed. She was later found guilty of stealing from Walton and served a brief prison sentence.
Walton, a 49-year-old reality television producer, author, and public speaker, asserts, “She has no shame. And she has no conscience,” highlighting Smyth’s delight in ensnaring countless victims in her elaborate fraud schemes. Despite reaching out for a comment, Smyth’s attorney has remained silent, with Smyth herself directing inquiries to her legal representative.
Walton’s podcast, “Queen of the Con,” launched in 2021 to raise awareness about Smyth, has attracted tips from victims spanning from California to New York. These individuals have reported a myriad of fraudulent activities, including a bogus charity for Ukraine and claims of being an emissary for Satan, a witch, a hockey coach, a cancer patient, and even best friends with Jennifer Aniston. Smyth’s modus operandi often involved changing her name and appearance to evade detection.
Heather Sladinski, a Los Angeles-based costume designer, recounted being swindled out of $20,000 by Smyth for psychic readings, counterfeit life coach sessions, and cult-like retreats featuring rituals, breathing exercises, and yoga. Smyth’s intelligence, humor, and fabricated credentials and documents lent credibility to her claims, according to Sladinski. The situation escalated when Smyth proposed a bizarre ritual involving a chicken to help Sladinski win back an ex-boyfriend, who had a restraining order against her. Following threatening phone calls from Smyth, a terrified Sladinski relocated. However, after connecting with Walton, Sladinski took legal action against Smyth and testified at Walton’s trial.
Tess Cacciatore, owner of a production company and nonprofit charity, encountered Smyth in 2016 through a business partner who had hired her as a psychic. Smyth feigned being a cancer patient and claimed she was due to receive a $50 million inheritance. She even went as far as to share emails purportedly from Aniston and invited Cacciatore to the Golden Globe Awards, only to cancel abruptly. In Northern Ireland, authorities assert that Smyth swindled money she had pledged to invest and deceitfully agreed to sell a home to a victim, pocketing the money instead. As Smyth awaits her extradition hearing on April 17 at the Piscataquis County Jail in Dover-Foxcroft, Cacciatore reflects, “She should have been an actress. She would have worked a lot and not gone to jail. She is so good at what she did.”