Investment Shaman Aka Serial Killer

In Muslim-majority Indonesia - where nearly 10 per cent of the population live below the poverty line, some view shamans as traditional healers. Several Indonesians claimed they were scammed by people claiming to be spiritual figures, promising to turn small investments into immense wealth. Indonesian Police say some alleged scammers turn to violence when their victims come looking for their money. 

Halal Investment - The scams have circulated widely on Indonesian social media. Just two dozen Facebook posts advertising so-called shaman investment schemes were viewed more than 1.4 million times as of this week. One post, viewed 643,000 times from April 8 to May 17, claimed a Muslim sheikh would help people multiply their funds, and that the service did not violate the tenets of Islam.

Police identified Wowon Erawan, a 60-year-old who worked with two partners to trick migrant workers into sending them money. Police accused the trio of murdering nine people including Wowon’s wife and stepchildren to cover up their crimes. Police said the three men had been arrested, and that they had confessed to killing victims with pesticide-laced drinks.

Wowon wan repented and apologised to victims’ families at the police press conference. The trio face the death penalty if found guilty.

Another Shaman - police arrested another accused serial killer shaman, 45-year-old Slamet Tohari, after a man was reported missing by his family. Slamet also stands accused of boasting he could magically multiply money, luring victims into rituals before poisoning them with potassium cyanide when they asked for their money back.

At least 12 bodies have been uncovered on Slamet’s land, according to police, who said in a statement last month the number could be higher after they received further reports of 28 missing people.