A Sydney woman may have been drugged before being blindfolded, allegedly sexually assaulted and defrauded during what NSW Police have described as a bizarre and callous series of fake prayer sessions.
Believing she and her family had been cursed by a member of the Greek community practising black magic, the woman paid between $500 and $1,000 per session, spending a total of $70,000 out of fear they would all suffer terrible consequences including death and illness unless the curse was removed.
She sought help from two men, one of whom claimed to be a spiritual mentor in the Greek Orthodox community.
Police allege the woman, now aged 30, was blindfolded and allegedly subjected to sexual assaults during prayer sessions at various hotels and motels, mainly in the Ashfield area in Sydney's inner-west, between 2001 and 2005.
They allege she is one of at least two women who fell victim to the two men.
Charges already had been laid in June last year over assaults on another woman, aged 40, police said, and they won't rule out the possibility of other victims.
"Our investigations are far from over and we cannot rule out the possibility of other victims and I would urge any woman or person, particularly in the Greek Orthodox or Coptic community, with any information, to come forward," Acting Superintendent Gary Bailey told reporters.
Two men, Arthur Psichogios, 38, of Enfield, and a 61-year-old man were charged with a total of 230 sexual offences against the younger woman in Sydney's west between 2001 and 2005.
Psichogios is facing 79 sexual offences, including 68 counts of sexual intercourse without consent, while the 61-year-old has been charged with 151 sexual offences against the woman. He is yet to face court.
In Burwood Local Court, police prosecutor George Lolis said Psichogios was already on bail over another "strikingly similar" case.
Sergeant Lolis told Magistrate Jane Mottley the case against the accused was strong and included an "extremely disturbing set of facts" along with video and mobile phone evidence.
"There was a high degree of planning and organisation and a high degree of pre-meditation," Sgt Lolis said.
Applying for bail for his client, defence lawyer Guy Newton said Psichogios had not had any contact with the victim since 2006 and the married father of three was his family's sole bread winner.
But Ms Mottley refused the application saying there was a "strong possibility of flight".
"The offences ... set out what can only be described as sophisticated scheme of activity that is alleged to have been undertaken by the accused and another (man)," she said.
Before the court appearance, police alleged the 61-year-old man claimed he could speak to angels and after telling the women they had been cursed, charged them money to remove the evil, but later subjected them to repeated assaults.
"I have never seen anything as bizarre as this or as callous as this before, perpetrated on young women in the community that really don't deserve this," Supt Bailey said.
"Police will allege that both victims may have been drugged during these incidents."
The younger woman spoke of her shame at being duped.
"I did believe both myself and my family were at risk and I honestly felt that I was in the position where I had no choice but to protect them," the woman told Network Ten.
"I felt quite stupid thinking that being educated and being from a good family that I actually put myself in that kind of a position."
Earlier police said Psichogios and the 61-year-old man along with a 36-year-old woman had been arrested and charged in June last year with similar offences, including aggravated sexual assault and extortion, in relation to the 40-year-old woman.
The 61-year-old man was taken to hospital on Friday morning after suffering chest pains at Burwood police station and did not appear in court.
It's not known whether a bedside court hearing will be organised at the hospital.
Psichogios will next appear in Burwood Local Court on October 29.
Psichogios, who owns a property maintenance business, faces up to 14 years in prison if convicted of the charges.
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