A federal court has ruled that Marianne Smyth, a convicted scammer who claimed to be an Irish heiress and is accused of stealing over $170,000 from several victims, should be extradited to the United Kingdom. Smyth, who has also been described by accusers as posing as a witch, a psychic, and a friend to Hollywood stars, has been in a Maine jail awaiting the extradition decision.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John Nivison’s ruling on Thursday stated that there is sufficient evidence to certify Smyth’s extradition to the U.K. to face charges. Smyth will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending a final decision on extradition by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Smyth faces four counts of fraud by abuse of position under the U.K. Fraud Act of 2006 and four counts of theft in violation of Northern Ireland’s Theft Act of 1969. Authorities allege that Smyth stole money she had promised to invest and arranged to sell a victim a home but took the money instead.
The judge’s ruling could help bring an end to a bizarre saga in which victims have described Smyth as a master of disguise and a veteran traveling grifter. Her case bears similarities to that of Anna Sorokin, a scammer who was convicted of impersonating a German heiress to fund her lifestyle.
One of Smyth’s victims, podcaster Johnathan Walton, grew close to her in Los Angeles, where she claimed to be due a $7 million inheritance from her wealthy Irish family. However, her story unraveled when Walton discovered she had been jailed for stealing $200,000 from a travel agency she worked for. Walton used his podcast to gather tips from Smyth’s other accusers, who alleged that she started a fake charity and posed as everything from a cancer patient to Jennifer Aniston’s best friend.
Smyth, who is actually American, was found and arrested in Maine in February. Her attorney has declined to comment on the case in the past and did not respond to phone calls and emails on Thursday.
Judge Nivison’s ruling stated, “The evidence presented regarding Ms. Smyth’s interactions with and transactions involving the individuals … is sufficient to sustain the four fraud charges and the four theft charges that are the subject of the extradition request.”