Controversial Supreme Court Ruling
Shaman Clan Could Recover Millions
A bombshell in the shaman case! As reported, the discovery of millions in a villa near Vienna led to an internationally active network that made a fortune through “purification rituals.” Three family members received suspended sentences; the shaman “Amela” is on the run. The state wanted to retain the six million euros for which there were no victims. The Supreme Court sees it differently: the case must be retried.
Kronen Zeitung als bevorzugte Google-Quelle hinzufügen For more than two years, the case involving a shaman and her relatives has kept the justice system busy. The family from Vienna and the surrounding area “earned” a fortune largely through cleansing rituals. To ward off misfortune or save close relatives from death, numerous unsuspecting victims handed over their valuables and money to the shaman “Amela,” who is wanted worldwide.
She operates alongside a family clan, including in Germany and Switzerland—always using the same scam.
Wealth Hidden in a Pool Filled with Concrete
During the raid on the shaman clan’s headquarters—an idyllically situated villa just outside Vienna—the investigators could hardly believe their eyes. Millions were seized in shopping bags inside a concrete-filled pool—along with gold coins, watches, and even wedding rings.
The ex-husband of “Amela,” her son, and her daughter-in-law went on trial in December 2025. The WKStA charged them with aggravated commercial fraud, criminal conspiracy, and money laundering. The defendants have already served their partially suspended prison sentences.
But as is so often the case, it’s still all about the money!
In the Supreme Court’s view, there can be no blanket joint liability when it comes to the confiscation of assets.
Anwalt Philipp Wolm
Bild: VÖStV
The sum in question is a whopping six million euros
This is because the trial court ordered an extended forfeiture in its ruling. Of the approximately ten million seized, “only” 1.7 million could be allocated to the victims. A large portion of the “proceeds”—four million euros and two million Swiss francs—would have gone to the state, specifically the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior. The Constitutional Court (VfGH) deemed this permissible.
Now comes the bombshell! The Supreme Court (OGH) partially overturned the convictions. And the forfeiture ruling also stands no ground: “In the Supreme Court’s view, there can be no blanket joint and several liability when it comes to the forfeiture of assets,” said attorney Philipp Wolm, who filed the appeal for annulment alongside his colleagues Nikolaus Rast and Alexander Prenner, expressing his satisfaction with the decision. According to the OGH, there must also be a temporal connection between the assets in question and the criminal offenses.
This means the case will be retried, and the six million euros will likely be returned to the clan after all.
This article has been automatically translated,
read the original article here.
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