Self-Proclaimed Psychic Coerces Victim into Prostitution

0:01 Self-proclaimed psychic is accused of getting a Maryland man to embezzle more than $4 million to feed her lavish lifestyle. The scheme that stretched from coast to coast is like something out of a Hollywood movie. In this episode of No Tears for Black Girls, we delve into the chilling tale of Gina Rita Russell, a self-proclaimed psychic whose manipulative schemes left countless victims in financial and emotional ruin. Known for her air of confidence and promises of spiritual aid, Russell preyed on vulnerable individuals, convincing them to part with their money for supposed mystical services. This episode unravels her deceitful journey from extorting 10s of thousands of dollars from unsuspecting clients to coercing a young woman into sex work and marriage to evade prosecution. We uncover the sinister web she wove with the help of her family and accomplices, resulting in a staggering $4.2 million restitution order and multiple prison sentences. Join us as we explore how Russell's greed and manipulation were finally brought to justice and the lasting impact on her victims.

1:13 On a dark spring evening, Gina Rita Russell approached a woman on the busy streets of Los Angeles. With an air of all knowing confidence, she declared that their meeting was destined by fate. Russell offered to use her psychic abilities to help the woman with her troubles for a fee of $300.00. As they sat in a nearby park, she read the woman's palm and revealed that her music career was plagued by negative energy. She claimed to have the power to cleanse it and convince the woman to hand over 10s of thousands of dollars. Under Russell's guidance, the woman engaged in sex work and surrendered most of her earnings to Russell. But this wasn't the first time Russell had used her supposed psychic powers for personal gain.

1:58 In fact, she was already awaiting sentencing for a $4 million extortion scheme on the East Coast, which involved manipulating another vulnerable young woman through fear and violence. Russell's true nature as a menace to society was revealed in court documents, detailing how she preyed on unsuspecting victims with promises of spiritual assistance. Ultimately, she was sentenced to 10 years in prison for her heinous crimes, while others involved in the schemes were also brought to justice. The victims whose lives were forever changed by Russell's deceit and manipulation can only hope to find some peace and closure from her incarceration. HN started off as a personal assistant to Russell and her wealthy family but soon became entangled in their web of deceit and greed.

2:50 The clan had an insatiable desire for lavish possessions and extravagant experiences, but lacked the willingness to earn it honestly. Instead, they used HN as a pawn to manipulate and scam people out of their money. At first, HN was just providing legitimate services and receiving financial compensation, but then Russell began coercing her into lying to her father about needing money for various expenses. In one instance, Russell even went so far as to have her mother pose as a therapist on a phone call to convince H NS father to give them more money. When H NS father eventually cut her off, Russell convinced her to turn to sex work for money. Through advertisements on websiteslikebackpage.com, HN met Daniel Zankan, a married man who fell in love with her and proposed seeing an opportunity for more riches. Russell and her family concocted stories of danger and financial troubles to manipulate Zankan into giving them money and valuables.

3:57 The scheme also involved Tony John Evans pretending to be a mobster during phone calls with Zankan, threatening him and his family if he didn't comply with their demands for money. In total, Zankan embezzled over 4 million from his employer in just three months. When the FBI caught wind of the operation and interviewed HN, she and Russell hastily got married in an attempt to use spousal privilege as protection against prosecution. But in the end, justice caught up with them all as they were sentenced for their crimes. HN was indicted on a slew of charges, including fraud, extortion and conspiracy. Despite claims that the charges were dropped, a spokesperson for the US Attorney's Office denied any indication of such. HN remained silent when approached for comment. In 2017, Zankan pleaded guilty to bank fraud and money laundering conspiracies and is currently awaiting sentencing. The following year, a federal grand jury charged Russell Robert Evans, Tony John Evans, Cory Blue Evans, Archie Kaslov, and Candy Evans.

5:14 Tony John Evans, 35, and Robert Evans, 37, admitted guilt to interference with Interstate commerce by extortion and received five year sentences. Cory Blue Evans, 31, pled guilty to bank fraud and was sentenced to over three years in prison. Kaslov, 57, admitted to wire fraud conspiracy and received a sentence of 2 1/2 years behind bars. Finally, Candy Evans, 55, confessed to manipulating a witness through corrupt means and was sentenced to one year and a day in prison. According to David Felson, Zankan's lawyer, these con artists were experts at their craft. Once they had you in their grip, there was no escaping. In July 2019, Russell pled guilty to Interstate commerce extortion, but before she could be sentenced in May of the following year, authorities discovered she had already begun another scam in Los Angeles.

6:16 Details of V1's interview with the FBI were revealed by Kleinman in a March filing. V1 claimed she first met Russell, who went by Lauren, while walking home from work one evening. After performing a palm reading for V1 and exchanging numbers, the two began meeting frequently. At first, Russell did not ask for money, but instead focused on learning about V1's past to identify sources of negativity and blockages. However, as their meetings continued, Russell began requesting money for deep meditation and prayer on V1's behalf, as well as materials needed for the work, such as large candles. She even showed V1 a picture of a human sized candle that she claimed had broken due to V1's negativity and demanded money to replace it.

7:06 V1 ended up giving 10s of thousands of dollars from her family and friends to continue paying Russell. Eventually, Russell convinced V1 to leave her job, stating that it was time to move on. According to court documents, Russell had a sinister plan in motion to use the vulnerability of others for her own financial gain. She convinced V1 to engage in sugar daddy work and promised her that the money earned would go towards spiritual work that would secure V1's future in the music industry and help those she loved. But as time went on, V1 realized she was being manipulated and wanted out.

7:46 However, Russell made it clear that ending their arrangement could have dangerous consequences. Despite these red flags, V1 continued down this dark path until Russell's arrest on March 19th. In total, Russell and her accomplices were ordered to pay back $4.2 million in restitution, highlighting the true extent of their greed and manipulation. Even after facing justice for her crimes on the East Coast, it seems Russell couldn't resist continuing her deceitful ways in DC. Thank you for tuning in to No Tears for Black Girls. This series is skillfully crafted by acclaimed writer and producer Jon Reedberg with the guidance of unapologetic host Samantha Paul.

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