Pensioner Transfers Nearly €300,000 to Non-Existent 'Heavenly Bank' Over 6 Years in Spain

A resident of Spain has appeared in court after it was discovered that he swindled a substantial sum of money from an elderly woman by claiming to be acting 'in the name of God' and requesting funds to be sent to a 'heavenly bank.' This was reported by Oddity Central.

The pensioner, named Esperanza and from the northwestern city of León, is a devout believer who has long held the conviction that she is 'chosen by the Virgin Mary.' Unbeknownst to her that she was being deceived, she transferred nearly €300,000 over a six-year period, believing the money was destined for the 'heavenly bank.'

The report details that the victim of the fraud has been engulfed in religious mystical delusions. In 2013, she was convinced that she was 'a saint chosen by the Virgin Mary.' Therefore, the owner of a local shop, knowing about the woman's beliefs, decided to take advantage and accrue wealth.

“I have been a saint since 2013. While traveling in a car, I felt hands on my shoulders, and when I got home, they took me to the bathroom. There, on the mirror, it was written in red letters: 'I am the Virgin; here I have shed all my blood. My daughter, you are a saint. Clean it with this sponge,'” the Spanish woman recounted to reporters.

Thus, when the elderly woman received her first 'phone call from God' in 2013, she was not particularly surprised. The caller told her to start investing her money in 'God's bank account.' She was promised high interest rates and the chance to build a house for herself in Heaven with the funds saved. For Esperanza, this seemed like a good deal, the source notes.

Between 2013 and 2019, the elderly woman put all her savings into a small drawer in a local shop, operated by a man who is now accused of defrauding her. The pensioner drained all her savings and even took out two bank loans. No one, not even her children, knew about her dealings, as the fraudster allegedly threatened to kill her family if she informed anyone.

Esperanza's children only learned about this when they discovered that their mother's savings account was empty.

The suspect in this case maintains his innocence, but prosecutors have evidence that he exploited Esperanza. It is also noted that the trial has begun, and the prosecution has requested an 8-year prison sentence for the defendant.