<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A woman has been charged over an alleged spiritual blessings scam that deliberately targeted Sydney's Asian community.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police have been investigating the alleged scam since April this year, and believe it has been operating across Sydney since July 2023.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The scam allegedly targets elderly Chinese women to "exploit their cultural fears" by telling them their families are at risk from spirits and they need to have their wealth blessed to protect them from curses or illness.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/experts-say-july-cash-rate-cut-in-the-bag/8bba4307-c97d-441d-90e3-b7146620815f" target="_blank"><strong><span>Experts say July cash rate cut 'in the bag'</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The women are deceived into handing over a bag of their valuables to be blessed, and once the alleged scammers have their money and jewellery, they swap them out for items of no value.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The women are then encouraged not to open the bag of valuables for an extended amount of time, as part of the blessing ritual.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>NSW Police have received reports of over 80 incidents across Sydney, including in Ryde, Burwood, Parramatta and Hornsby, with more than $3 million in cash and valuables allegedly stolen.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/woman-charged-over-alleged-cultural-blessings-scam/c012f687-b39e-4d89-af8c-7f60617278a2" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Investigations into the alleged scam led police to arrest a 63-year-old woman at Sydney International Airport at 7.15am yesterday, with the help of the AFP.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/bomb-cyclone-system-moves-away-from-east-coast/c3846d1b-6162-4229-bd37-faddeb8e26a5" target="_blank"><strong><span>'Bomb cyclone' system moves away from east coast</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police will allege that the woman defrauded a 77-year-old woman out of a large sum of money and jewellery at Parramatta last month.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She was taken to Mascot Police Station and charged with dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception, participating in a criminal group and other stealing offences.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The woman was refused bail and will appear in Parramatta Local Court today. </span></div></div>