A US-born woman who posed as an Irish heiress to scam thousands of dollars from several victims has been flown to the UK to face additional charges there.
Marianne Smyth is accused of stealing more than $170,000 from five people whom she met through her jobs at UK-based mortgage companies between 2008 and 2010. For years, Smyth feigned being a witch, psychic and friend of A-list celebrities to deceive others into giving her money.
Notably, Smyth stole nearly $100,000 from a television producer, Johnathan Walton, who later helped send her to prison and publicized her crimes on a hit podcast.
A spokesperson for the justice department confirmed to the AP on Tuesday that Smyth had been extradited and referred additional questions to Northern Ireland authorities.
A statement on Tuesday from Northern Ireland police confirmed a woman matching Smyth’s description had been extradited on Saturday from the US “to stand trial … for a number of fraud offences”. It didn’t name Smyth but said she had made an initial appearance in front of a judge on Saturday.
Smyth was arrested 23 February in Maine after being released from prison for defrauding Walton, who detailed Smyth’s crime spree in the Queen of the Con: The Irish Heiress podcast. The podcast explained how Smyth defrauded him and others, including in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was Walton who provided authorities with Smyth’s location – a short-term rental – prior to her arrest in Maine.
In 2009, police in Belfast had been planning on arresting Smyth after several victims reported her. Smyth was facing theft and fraud charges in the Northern Ireland capital.
But Smyth managed to flee, allegedly killing more than a dozen dogs that were living with her at the time, according to what her daughter said on Walton’s podcast.
Years later, a listener of the Queen of Con podcast alerted Walton to where Smyth was staying. Walton, in turn, told the police.
In May, a US magistrate judge determined that there was enough evidence to justify Smyth’s extradition. In a statement to the Guardian on Smyth’s extradition order, Walton said: “It’s been said the pen is mightier than the sword, but let me tell you, the podcast is mightier still.
“My only desire now is for justice at long last for the victims in Northern Ireland.”
Smyth reportedly said she was afraid that she would be murdered if she was returned to Northern Ireland, according to a court transcript obtained by the Guardian.
Her attorney also unsuccessfully argued that there was not enough evidence to extradite her.
The Associated Press contributed reporting
