Toronto: An Indian-origin man has been accused of committing a scam in Toronto, Canada, by posing as a psychic and spiritual healer and extracting more than $800,000 from a person.
The police have issued a nationwide arrest warrant for 29-year-old Gangadhar Babu. He is said to have fled the country.
The man is wanted in connection with an investigation into an alleged fraud that relied on claims of supernatural powers and spiritual protection to obtain money from the victim, the Toronto Police Service said in a statement, as reported by Hindustan Times.
More people may have been targeted through the same scheme, investigators suspect. They have appealed to anyone who may have had similar experiences to come forward.
The fraud allegedly took place between April 2024 and September 2025. During this period, the accused presented himself as a psychic, fortune teller and spiritual healer known as “Babu” to gain the confidence of the victim, the police said.
It has been alleged that he built trust by exploiting the person’s belief in supernatural powers before persuading the victim to repeatedly hand over money.
The victim was allegedly told that s/he and her/his family members faced the threat of death or serious harm unless payments continued for what was described as spiritual protection, investigators said. The victim followed the accused’s instructions and transferred large sums of money over an extended period, it has been alleged.
The accused allegedly operated under the business name “Indian Psychic and Spiritual Healer”, officials said.
Babu is now wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for fraud over $5000, possession of proceeds obtained by crime over $5000, and laundering proceeds of Canadian crime.
He is about 5 feet 6 inches tall with a slender build, dark curly hair, dark brown eyes, a trimmed beard and a noticeable gap between his front teeth, according to the Toronto Police statement. His photograph has also been released as part of efforts to locate him.
The police said that they believe Babu has fled back to India, according to CTV News Toronto.