CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA – In a shocking turn of events, Donnie Stephen Marks, 43, of Charlottesville, has been sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for his role in a lucrative fortune-telling scheme that swindled over $5.4 million from unsuspecting victims.
According to court documents, Marks, the former business manager of ‘Readings by Catherine’ on Seminole Trail in Charlottesville, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of money laundering. His wife, Sandra Stephenson Marks, a.k.a. ‘Catherine Marks,’ 42, also of Charlottesville, previously pled guilty to the same charges and was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison in November 2016.
Assistant United States Attorney Ronald M. Huber revealed that Sandra Marks operated the business, which offered services such as palm readings, candle readings, tarot card readings, astrological readings, and spiritual readings. Marks would tell clients that she was clairvoyant and able to see into the past and the future, and that she had a ‘gift from god’ that allowed her to communicate with spirits and guides.
However, in reality, Marks was using these claims to scam her clients out of large amounts of money and valuables. She would tell clients that they were suffering from a ‘curse’ and a ‘dark cloud’ that occurred in the past, and that they needed to make a sacrifice of large amounts of money and valuables to be ‘cleansed.’
Donnie Marks, who managed the business and the proceeds from the scheme, admitted that he kept and used money and other valuables provided by clients for his own personal use and enjoyment and that of his family. When the money ran out, Sandra and Donnie Marks would find new clients to fund the scheme or tell old clients that additional money was required to continue the ‘work.’
The investigation into the case was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Secret Service, the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, and the Albemarle County Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Ronald M. Huber prosecuted the case for the United States.
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Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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