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Pennsylvania fortune-tellers cajoled desperate victims into relinquishing high-end goods to be cleansed of ‘black magic’: report

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Pennsylvania fortune-tellers cajoled desperate victims into relinquishing high-end goods to be cleansed of ‘black magic’: report


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.

Steve Nicklas, 40, and Gina Marks, 52, allegedly duped unsuspecting clients out of more than $600,000. Montgomery County District Attorney

“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.

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The fortune-tellers ran the Jenkintown Psychic Visions in Pennsylvania.

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.

Marks is accused of threatening one victim with “reputational damage and personal repercussions” if she didn’t comply with her instructions.

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.

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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.

Marks was previously sentenced to six years in prison for a similar scheme. wikimedia

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.

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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.

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Breakfast for dinner is on the menu at these Western Pennsylvania eateries

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Breakfast for dinner is on the menu at these Western Pennsylvania eateries


Breakfast dishes can be a fun departure from traditional dinner foods when dining out. While plenty of diners serve breakfast all day, many of those spots close at 2 or 3 p.m.

“It’s one of those things that everybody wants — we sell a lot of breakfast at night,” said Back To The 80’s Diner co-owner Shane Hissem. “After 4 p.m., we sell about 30% breakfast. I think sometimes people just get hungry for it.”

Hissem, his wife Kari Hissem and Aimee Bell co-own the Greensburg diner decked out in ’80s memorabilia, including a mounted E.T. in a bicycle basket, servers decked out in ’80s leg warmers and fanny packs, Pac-Man wall art and a MTV-themed wall.

The cheesy hash browns ($3.49) and fruit-filled stuffed pancakes ($8.98) are a hit, along with eggs Benedict ($9.99).

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“People love the vibe and the breakfast at night,” Hissem said.

Server Bria Boyle said her customers really dig the pancakes for supper.

“French toast, pancakes and a lot of omelets are ordered at night. Customers come in at 7:30 p.m. and get their coffee and breakfast — we even serve Spam,” Boyle said.

Oakmont Bakery retail manager Billy O’Block holds three specialty breakfast sandwiches sold all day at the bakery/cafe in Oakmkont. (Joyce Hanz | TribLive)

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Breakfast, er, dinner sandwiches

Cameron Wycich of Shaler likes to get creative when he orders build-your-own breakfast sandwiches at Oakmont Bakery in Oakmont.

The cafe there serves 10 different breakfast sandwiches all day, until 7 p.m.

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“Today I ordered a blueberry bagel with bacon, egg and cheese. I occasionally order one for dinner,” Wycich said.

Oakmont Bakery co-owner Tony Serrao said offering breakfast options all day has proved popular with customers.

“People come in and order them all day long, especially kids coming over from the high school after school. They love to get hash browns, breakfast sandwiches and they even like to put the hash brown on the sandwich,” Serrao said.

Sandwich prices range from $6 to $10.

Breakfast for dinner is a concept that just “caught on” for Oakmont Bakery.

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“We just revamped our cafe and offer fresh-squeezed orange juice all day now, too. We are a bakery, but our cafe has just evolved over the years,” Serrao said.

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The Giant Cinnamon Roll Pancake at Youngstown Grill in Youngstown near Latrobe. (Courtesy of Youngstown Grill)

 

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Extra large pancakes

Craving a mega-sized pancake for supper?

You’ll find them at Youngstown Grill near Latrobe. The best seller is the giant cinnamon roll pancake ($6.95), which covers the plate.

A homemade cinnamon sauce is made in-house and you can add chocolate chips or blueberries for $1.50.

Breakfast here is served until 8 p.m. Another popular breakfast choice is the Youngstown scramble ($9.95) served with eggs, onions, green peppers, home fries and a choice of bacon or sausage, all mixed together.

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Hash it out

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The Corned Beef Hash Breakfast served at Tap It Brewery and Grill in Mt. Pleasant. (Courtesy of Tap It Brewery and Grill)

 

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Tap It Brewery & Grill in Mt. Pleasant is another spot for hearty breakfast-for-dinner options. They serve breakfast until closing between 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m., depending on the day.

The house-brewed beers pair well with breakfast.

The most popular breakfast meal is corned beef hash ($10.95), which is made with braised beef in a brine and served with breakfast potatoes, two eggs and toast.

Menu highlights include The Mammoth Special ($10.95) featuring two eggs, choice of sausage, ham or bacon, choice of two regular pancakes or two waffles or two French toast and one side. Three stuffed pancakes ($8.95) are served folded like a taco and stuffed with a homemade cheesecake filling (apple, strawberry, cherry or blueberry) and served with a side.

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Frederic Rongier, owner of Paris 66, folds a breakfast crepe inside his East Liberty restaurant on May 6. (Kristina Serafini | TribLive)

 

Savory crepes

Authentic French crepes are served for dinner at Paris 66 Bistro in East Liberty.

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Proprietor Frederic Rongier studied at a crepe-making French institution in 1999.

One of the two dinner options is made with buckwheat and is gluten-free. Both can be made with Swiss cheese, egg and a choice of ham or bacon.

Crepes are $25 each and adding smoked salmon is $12 more.

Rongier is keen on buckwheat crepes.

“It’s 100% French and the taste is not comparable with anything else,” he said, also recommending pairing a crepe with French cider Cidre Brut ($42), a dry, crisp alcoholic French drink.

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Crepes are commonly eaten for supper in France, particularly in the Brittany region, said Rongier, a native of France.

“Guests feel like they are in France when they eat one,” he said.



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What each Pennsylvania 3rd Congressional District Democratic primary candidate would do on Day 1

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What each Pennsylvania 3rd Congressional District Democratic primary candidate would do on Day 1


It’s one of the hottest-contested races on the May 19 ballot in the 2026 Pennsylvania primary election. Four Democrats are running to succeed retiring U.S. Rep Dwight Evans in what has been rated the most Democratic-leaning district in the nation, Pennsylvania Congressional District 3.

The candidates are tax attorney Shaun Griffith, state Rep. Chris Rabb, Dr. Ala Stanford and state Sen. Sharif Street.

CBS News Philadelphia interviewed all four candidates to discuss a bevy of topics important to voters. On Wednesday, the focus was on affordability. On Thursday, the focus was on what makes these candidates stand out in a sea of Democrats. Friday’s focus is on what each candidate would do on the first day in Congress if elected.

State Sen. Sharif Street

Street has his eye set on economic and funding issues. The state senator says bringing down prices, funding mass transportation, and education are at the top of his priorities.

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“We got to make sure we continue to get prices down. We got to make sure we continue to create jobs,” Street said. “We got to make sure we continue to fund mass transit. We got to get money for our schools. And by the way, I have talked about, and I’m the only candidate in this race who has consistently talked about we need a massive federal infrastructure program for schools.”



PA-03 Congressional District candidate interview: state Sen. Sharif Street

13:49

Dr. Ala Stanford

Stanford, a medical doctor, says her top agenda item is making healthcare more affordable.

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“Restoring the subsidies to the Affordable Care Act, it has to be,” Stanford said. “It impacts everyone, whether you have private insurance or whether you are a Medicare/Medicaid recipient. Because we know right now, people are not getting the preventative care, the screening, and the treatment that their doctors have recommended.”



PA-03 Congressional District candidate interview: Dr. Ala Stanford

18:35

Tax attorney Shaun Griffith  

Griffith talked about plans to regulate data centers and hold the White House accountable. But priority one for him is universal healthcare.

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“Making sure that we have Medicare for All or some similar bill put forth for a vote. Let’s put it on record,” Griffith said. “Who in the house believes health care is a human right, and who doesn’t?”



PA-03 Congressional District candidate interview: Tax attorney Shaun Griffith

10:14

State Rep. Chris Rabb

If elected to Washington, Rabb says he’d first look to rein in the Trump administration.

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 “We have to begin the de-Trumpification of government,” Rabb said. “Trump and his thugs need to be held to account. But we also have to make sure we restore all the things he’s sought to destroy, institutionally, politically, operationally, we have to start there.”



PA-03 Congressional District candidate interview: State Rep. Chris Rabb

11:01

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An Outpouring of Frustration Over Pennsylvania’s Rapid Data Center Growth – Inside Climate News

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An Outpouring of Frustration Over Pennsylvania’s Rapid Data Center Growth – Inside Climate News


The latest example of burgeoning opposition to rapid data-center development in Pennsylvania came at a town hall meeting overflowing with frustration about how the state is managing the surge.

As about 225 people watched, more than 20 speakers in the two-hour online forum late Wednesday spoke about resistance to an industry they blame for rising electricity prices, heavy water use, noise pollution and rural industrialization. Gov. Josh Shapiro, who has tried to thread the needle of welcoming data centers while proposing some guardrails, was a frequent target.

“This is a public trust and transparency issue,” said Jennifer Dusart, a small business owner and resident of Mechanicsburg, near the state capital. “Too many Americans are finding out about these projects after decisions have been made. We have been bulldozed over, and when citizens have raised concerns, they are often dismissed as uninformed, emotional or anti-progress.”

According to the Data Center Proposal Tracker, Pennsylvania has nearly 60 data centers that have been officially proposed, are in early planning stages, have received approval to build or are under construction. 

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Karen Feridun of the environmental nonprofit Better Path Coalition, which organized the town hall, said the Pennsylvania Data Center Resistance Facebook group she started in January with a few dozen members now has more than 12,000 followers. Kelly Donia of East Whiteland Township in southeastern Pennsylvania, who lives near a proposed data center, said she’s a registered Democrat who had been excited about speculation in 2024 that Shapiro would be the Democratic vice presidential candidate. But she said she no longer supports him because he has courted data centers. “He is losing his base,” she said. “I want him to hear this loud and freaking clear. I’m going to make it my job to make sure that man never gets elected again for any office.”

While an Emerson College survey in November found that Pennsylvanians were split on data-center development—38 percent supported it, while 35 percent opposed it—opposition to such development close to home was more pronounced. A February poll of registered voters in the state by Quinnipiac University found even more pushback: 68 percent said they would oppose a data center for AI in their community. 

Neither the Data Center Coalition, an industry group, nor Pennsylvania Data Center Partners, a developer of large data centers, responded to requests for comment, though industry advocates have said the growth will bring jobs and tax revenue to the state. 

The Shapiro administration said it seeks to protect communities while reaping the economic benefits of the booming data center industry.

“If companies want the Commonwealth’s full support — including access to tax credits and faster permitting — they must meet strict expectations around transparency, environmental protection, and community impact,” Rosie Lapowsky, a Shapiro spokesperson, said in a statement. “This is about setting a higher bar for projects, not lowering it, and ensuring development happens responsibly and in a way that benefits Pennsylvanians.”

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In February, Shapiro proposed standards as part of his budget address, including that new data centers seeking state support must either provide their own power rather than drawing it from the grid, or fully fund their power needs and the transmission infrastructure that comes with them.

Feridun said Shapiro did not respond to multiple invitations to attend the town hall, which she thinks the state should have hosted to give people a chance to express their concerns about data centers. 

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Colby Wesner of the activist group Concerned Citizens of Montour County, which successfully opposed a data center, criticized House lawmakers for passing the Shapiro-supported HB 2151, which would require state officials to draft a model ordinance that towns could use to respond to data center applications. 

Supporters say its use would be voluntary and it would help local officials protect quality of life in their communities. But Wesner believes it will benefit the industry if enacted: “There is absolutely no way this ordinance won’t be a data center developer’s dream.” 

Donia urged townships to change their zoning so they have the legal right to deny data center applications in places they don’t want them. Without carefully zoned land, towns are vulnerable to lawsuits from developers, she said.

“If you’ve got terrible ordinances in your township, and you add in bad zoning, guess what? You get a hyperscale data center,” she said.

The surge in data center projects in Pennsylvania has been driven by tax breaks for developers, as allowed by a 2021 law that lawmakers should repeal, said Republican state Rep. Jamie Walsh, who spoke at the town hall event. In Virginia, the state with the most data centers, developers have to pay a sales and use tax, but Pennsylvania doesn’t require that, he said.

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“That has made Pennsylvania a target. In Virginia, they have to pay tax on the contents of those buildings. Pennsylvania will never realize that. That is why we’ve become ground zero,” said Walsh, who represents Luzerne County in northeast Pennsylvania.

State Sen. Katie Muth, a Democrat who represents part of the Philadelphia suburbs, plans to introduce a bill to place a three-year moratorium on data center development so state and local governments can first study and plan for the industry. She announced the bill in a legislative memo in February and expects to introduce it soon, a spokesman said.

Muth told activists at the town hall that the data center industry has not done enough to fully disclose its plans to the public. ”This has all been planned long before any of us had a clue, so don’t feel that you missed all these things,” she said. “You were supposed to; no one wanted you to know about it.” 

Michael Sauers, a retired school teacher from Bloomsburg, southwest of Scranton, called on officials to amend the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, a regulation first published in 1970.

“This has to be strengthened to empower communities to be able to say no to unwanted development that is being shoved down their throats,” he said. “Communities must be empowered to reject top-down development that gives them little or no voice in the future.”

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