Woman says ‘pastor’ scammed her of nearly $500K

A Kingston woman said she is imploring others not to fall victim to so-called 'men of God' who are charging persons to give them deliverance.

Mary* who visited THE STAR offices yesterday, said she paid nearly $500,000 to a man claiming to be a pastor who told her that she had sex demons. After pocketing her money, Mary said she was ridiculed by the pastor months later.

"Him text mi and tell mi say mi a di foolest gal him ever meet, and mi a germs and mad woman. Him all a ridicule mi to people like it funny. Thing is mi really want him get exposed. Mi already work and make back di money weh him scam mi, but mi want people to be careful and [not] fall victim like mi because everything that he told me was a lie from the pit of hell. The sickness that I had was a medical one and mi get treated," he said.

Mary said she was living overseas when she began feeling sick. While not disclosing the details of her symptoms, she said her condition caused her to have sleepless nights.

"One night I was talking to my friend on the phone and the friend tell mi about the pastor and say him will pray for me. Him post on social media say him a pastor and him have church a St Thomas. When mi call him, him say duppy and sex demons deh pon mi and a try harm mi. Him never say him a obeah man, but a pastor, so that was why mi believe him. Honestly, at the time, mi never did a wonder why mi have to pay a pastor to get rid a duppy, mi did just wah get over everything. So mi give him all the money that mi have one time," she said.

She said the pastor had promised to pray for her after the funds were handed over, but her illness remained.

"After a while mi find out say a scam because nothing never change until mi go doctor. When mi call him back, him tell mi say mi fool and mi get scam. Mi never meet him in person but mi know him have a church. When mi tell the friend who tell mi bout him, she was shocked. She then tell mi say the same ting did reach har and from she find out him is a scammer she never go up there back," Mary said.

*Name changed to protect identity