Psychics Clueless About Their Own Demise

No, they didn't see it coming. Stemming from an obscure 1971 law that bans fortune telling for profit, more than a dozen Philadelphia psychic visionaries, astrologers and tarot-card readers were shut down without a hint of what the future, city inspectors, or the police had in store for them.

According to the ABC News Video Report, "Psychics Shut Down in Philly", Philadelphia Police had originally suggested that there were possible ties between gypsy suspects and fortune telling locations in the city as part of an ongoing robbery investigation. A press conference originally scheduled to elaborate on the robbery aspect, however, was abruptly cancelled.

According to Deputy Commissioner of the city Department of Licenses and Inspections, Dominic E. Verdi, no arrests or fines were issued, but that would change if the locations attempted to reopen.

On the other side, statements made by the victims of the closings allege that only those of Romanian heritage were singled out, embroiling controversy over the moves made by L&I and police.

Police alerted Verdi's department of the law that makes fortunetelling "for gain or lucre" a third-degree misdemeanor, possibly stemming from their ongoing robbery investigation that had implicated psychic storefront operations.

Verdi confirmed inspectors have closed 16 shops and he expects more to be closed in the future.