A pair of supernatural swindlers is accused of duping their victims into forking over their personal goods, including high-end merchandise, and even blackmailing some into following their instructions all under the guise of fighting “black magic,” investigators said.

Gina Marks, 52, and Steve Nicklas, 40, both from the Philadelphia metro area, are accused of teaming up to take advantage of vulnerable people and pilfering more than $600,000 from 2022 to 2024, according to a press release from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office.

“These defendants, through their con scheme, preyed on people who were looking for help, guidance and hope, exploiting them for financial gain. They are now going to be held accountable for their actions,” District Attorney Kevin Steele said.

Their victims’ mystical misadventures began in 2022 when one called the Jenkintown Psychic Visions for a psychic reading over the phone. The suspects were quick to conclude that the victim was trapped by a “powerful curse preventing her from finding love and happiness,” the release said.

The suspects convinced the frantic victim that if she didn’t have the curse removed, which they could do, then it would “destroy her marriage, business and family,” according to the release.

Over the next year, the victim continued to pay for their services and handed over wads of valuables, including jewelry, cash, clothing, and concert tickets, so that they could “cleanse” the curse.

The suspects told the woman that they needed her valuables “to complete the ritual” that would lift her curse, but the belongings were never returned, according to the release.

The victim eventually stopped seeing the pair after a year of counseling. By then, the psychics had taken roughly $595,959 from her, the release said.

Around the same time, another client was growing wary as Marks kept asking her to share “increasingly personal” photos and images under the guise of completing “rituals that would help her,” according to the release.

Between June 2023 and February 2024, Marks turned up the heat and started threatening “reputational damage and personal repercussions” if the victim didn’t fork over her Chanel purse and more money, according to the release.

Marks allegedly drained $18,000 from the second victim, prosecutors said.

The duo was arrested Tuesday for a laundry list of felonies, including involvement with corrupt organizations, dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activities, theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception and receiving stolen property, and fortunetelling, according to the release.

The fortune-tellers were arraigned on Tuesday, the release said. Both were released after posting bail and are expected to appear in court on Oct. 20 for a preliminary hearing.

It isn’t Marks’ first rodeo, though.

The serial scammer was sentenced to six years behind bars in 2018 for a similar scheme where she bilked a lovesick woman out of more than $80,000. Marks repeatedly insisted she needed larger sums of money in order to cast a love spell on the victim’s boyfriend, who had recently gotten married.

Marks attempted to flee the country, but was captured at Miami International Airport, NBC Washington reported.

At the time, she insisted she was a bona fide psychic who provided legitimate services

“People are racist from gypsies. They’re racist on my culture. We do have power. We’re not allowed to talk about it,” Marks said.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — A “complex” Pennsylvania fortune-telling scheme resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars being stolen and two people being charged, investigators said.

Gina Marks, 52, of Huntingdon Valley, and Steve Nicklas, 40, of Philadelphia, are accused of working together to take advantage of people and stealing more than $600,000 from 2022 to 2024, court documents filed by Montgomery County detectives show.

Marks is accused of using tarot card readings and other ritual practices to learn about a victim’s dreams, desires, and fears, investigators said. She then reportedly exploited said victim with this knowledge by offering them help with their personal and work problems.

Charging documents show how Marks was allegedly able to steal one victim’s money and property by preying on their desire to stay married and fight off “black magic.”

Marks reportedly claimed she had to temporarily take the victim’s money and property — high-end clothing, jewelry, home gifts, gift cards, for instance — to two alleged “altars” to remove any evil. Instead of returning the items, however, investigators said Marks would string the victim along by claiming she needed more money to finish the work.

Another female victim said Marks threatened her by texting pictures of the woman and her family, making her fear what would happen if Marks’ instructions weren’t followed.

Nicklas, meanwhile, is accused of helping in these schemes, as investigators said Marks introduced him to some alleged victims.

A total of $613,959.11 in cash and property was stolen from two victims in the alleged scheme, according to court documents. The investigation began when one of the victims contacted authorities on Dec. 24, 2024.

Marks and Nicklas were arraigned on Oct. 7 and taken to prison. Online court records show they’ve since posted bail and been released.

The duo faces felony charges of conspiracy, theft, receiving stolen property and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, in addition to misdemeanor charges of receiving stolen property and fortune-telling. Though “fortune-telling” is legal in many states, a 1861 state law made it against the law, though it’s rarely enforced.

Friday night high school football is off and running across Pennsylvania. 

Week 7 of the 2025 high school football season is underway, with dozens of games across the state as the playoffs inch closer. 

This story will be updated with the latest scores from around the state as they come in on Friday. 

Week 7 Pennsylvania high school football scores 

Aliquippa 34, Blackhawk 17

Bald Eagle 28, Westmont Hilltop 0

Belle Vernon 48, Laurel Highlands 6

Bellwood-Antis 46, Chestnut Ridge 28

Bentworth 35, Jefferson-Morgan 13

Berwick 63, Williamsport 19

Bethlehem Center 48, Mapletown 0

Bethlehem Freedom 35, Northampton 14

Bishop Guilfoyle 28, Forest Hills 14

Bishop McCort 42, Philipsburg-Osceola 0

Butler 35, Taylor Allderdice High School 8

Cambria Heights 34, Conemaugh Township 26

Camp Hill Trinity 38, West Perry 14

Cedar Cliff 57, Carlisle 19

Cedar Crest 48, Lancaster McCaskey 6

Central Bucks West 28, Pennridge 14

Chambersburg 28, Altoona 10

Chartiers-Houston 34, Serra Catholic 0

Clairton 48, Leechburg 0

Clarion Area High School 86, Bradford 0

Claysburg-Kimmel 29, Moshannon Valley 13

Cle. Benedictine, Ohio 53, Cathedral Prep 23

Conestoga Valley 42, Elizabethtown 7

Corry 28, Fairview 3

Dallas 7, Crestwood 0

Delaware Valley 41, Valley View 0

Derry 43, Greensburg Salem 28

DuBois 45, Brookville 0

Dunmore 42, West Scranton 7

Eastern York 28, Susquehannock 23

Easton 23, Bethlehem Liberty 20

Eisenhower 42, Franklin 13

Elizabeth-Forward 55, Yough 7

Emmaus 42, Allentown Dieruff 7

Farrell 52, Sharpsville 7

Fitch, Ohio 21, Erie McDowell 12

Fort Cherry 56, Bishop Canevin 19

Garden Spot 34, Bristol 20

Garnet Valley 29, Upper Darby 7

General McLane 49, Meadville 20

Glendale 41, West Branch 6

Governor Mifflin 49, Lebanon 7

Greencastle Antrim 21, Juniata 20

Greensburg Central Catholic 52, Springdale 14

Greenville 43, Saegertown 6

Hatboro-Horsham 41, Tennent 18

Hempfield 30, Exeter 28

Hershey 42, Northern York 14

Highlands 42, Burrell 21

Hollidaysburg 42, Selinsgrove 14

Homer-Center 30, West Shamokin 0

Honesdale 56, Greater Nanticoke Area High School 21

Huntingdon 28, Bedford 9

Jeannette 23, Brentwood 18

Jersey Shore 44, Penn Wood 20

Karns City 63, Brockway 27

Kennett 24, Unionville 21

Kiski 27, Armstrong 25

Lakeland (PA) 40, Western Wayne 14

Lansdale Catholic 28, Archbishop Wood Catholic High School 21, OT

Laurel 42, Shenango 0

Lehighton 27, Tamaqua 16

Line Mountain 54, Buchanan 8

Littlestown 10, Delone Catholic High School 7

MD School for the Deaf, Md. 44, Coventry Christian School 16

Manheim Central 42, Fleetwood 3

Marion Center 28, Purchase Line 12

McKeesport 56, Mars 31

Meyersdale 54, Brownsville 0

Middletown 14, East Pennsboro 10

Minersville 34, Pottsville Nativity 0

Mohawk 33, Western Beaver 20

Montgomery 57, Holy Redeemer 6

Mount Carmel Area High School 35, Central Mountain 13

Mount Union High School 46, Southern Huntingdon High School 9

Nazareth Area 41, Bethlehem Catholic 33

New Oxford 14, West York 7

North Allegheny 21, Canon-McMillan 13

North Pocono 37, Scranton 14

Northern Bedford 27, North Star 26

Northern Garrett, Md. 38, Uniontown 0

Northern Lehigh 42, Catasauqua 12

Northwestern 50, Seneca 7

Northwestern Lehigh 50, Jim Thorpe 7

Notre Dame High School of Green Pond 34, Palisades 22

Oil City 61, Warren 7

Palmerton 26, Salisbury 25

Parkland 37, Allentown Central Catholic 7

Penn Cambria 27, Tyrone 10

Penn Hills 19, Mt Lebanon 14

Penn-Trafford 48, Franklin Regional 14

Pine-Richland 43, Greater Latrobe High School 7

Plum 35, Fox Chapel 0

Pottsgrove 35, Upper Merion 7

Quakertown 47, Truman 0

Red Land 23, Shippensburg 7

Richland 33, Bellefonte 29

Ridley 14, Haverford High School 0

River Valley 46, Conemaugh Valley 14

Riverside 55, Carbondale 7

Schuylkill Valley 31, Hamburg 13

Scranton Prep 35, Mid Valley 0

Seneca Valley 47, Hempfield Area 8

Shaler 17, North Hills 14

Shamokin 38, Lewisburg 0

Slippery Rock 37, Titusville 14

South Allegheny 35, Apollo-Ridge 0

South Park 42, Ligonier Valley 21

South Side 35, Neshannock 7

South Williamsport 28, Muncy 20

Southern Columbia 26, Montoursville 16

Southmoreland 14, Mount Pleasant 0

St. Joseph’s Prep 40, The Roman Catholic High School of Philadelphia 39

State College 39, Central Dauphin East 14

Strath Haven 51, Harriton 0

Stroudsburg 28, East Stroudsburg North 6

Thomas Jefferson 42, Ringgold 6

Towanda 42, Sayre Area 14

Tri-Valley 42, Mahanoy 7

Trinity Washington 42, Chartiers Valley 18

Troy 58, North Penn-Mansfield 10

United Valley 31, Portage Area 0

Upper Perkiomen 22, Phoenixville 19

Upper St Clair 57, Bethel Park 32

Warrior Run 42, Hughesville 7

Washington 61, Charleroi 9

West Allegheny 24, New Castle 14

West Chester East 27, West Chester Henderson 26

Whitehall 48, William Allen High School 8

William Penn High School 42, Spring Grove 39

Williams Valley 56, Marian Catholic High School 10

Wilmington 48, Mercer 0

Wilson High School – West Lawn, PA 42, Penn Manor 7

Windber 14, Berlin-Brothersvalley 10

Woodland Hills 42, Gateway 28

Wyoming 28, Lake-Lehman 0

Berks Catholic 37, Columbia 0 (Thursday)

Council Rock South 14, Souderton 7 (Thursday)

Hickory 21, Grove City 14 (Thursday)

Milton Hershey 49, Boiling Springs 21 (Thursday)

North Schuylkill 42, Blue Mountain 21 (Thursday)

Olney 34, Academy at Palumbo 8 (Thursday)

Pittsburgh Central Catholic 35, Norwin 6 (Thursday)

WPIAL high school football games on KDKA+

This season, KDKA+ is airing regular-season WPIAL high school football games as part of the Steelers High School Showcase Game of the Week series. 

The games are scheduled to air every Friday through Oct. 24, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. each week. The games will be simulcast on KDKA.com and the CBS News Pittsburgh streaming service.