Psyched! The World's 5 Richest Psychics
Jessica Young Quick Links
Psychics have been the subject of controversy and fascination for thousands of years. They were shunned in Biblical times, and over the course of human history the discipline has been, in its hey day, welcomed with open arms by believers and denigrated by cynics. Devotees of this metaphysical discipline often believe that psychics hold the answers to our problems and give us validation of our deepest fears and desires. Whether you're a believer or a cynic, however, the fact remains that the largely unfalsifiable nature of the psychic's work, and the fact that it's so often the resort of the vulnerable or desperate, means that followers of psychics have often been victims of scams, frauds and robbers. High-profile cases of fraudsters in the 'psychic' industry have caused a general feeling of scepticism towards psychic mediums in the world today. And yet, they're a resilient bunch - despite some harsh criticism, many psychics have persevered and even flourished in their field.
The idea of a psychic making any kind of money from communicating with the dead has been the subject of intense debate. Many outsiders feel that psychics have mastered the art of 'cold reading', so they're discipline is no more than a form of psychological study and behavioural manipulation. Basically, psychics get a very bad rap - famous psychic medium John Edwards was once featured on the controversial show 'South Park' and declared the 'biggest douche in the universe' by the show’s creators. Are there legitimate psychic mediums out there that can communicate with our deceased loved ones? Quite possibly, according to those with an open mind. Despite quite a bit of negativity around the psychic profession, humans are generally infinitely fascinated by the mysterious and magical, so it's perhaps no surprise that we've elevated several talented psychics to celebrity status.
To get an idea of just how much money exists in this contentious industry, we've compiled a list of some the highest paid psychics in the world today. Some may have been called out as fakes and yet others seem to have legitimate abilities. Regardless of ability - real or faked - the mediums below have garnered both fame and fortune through public appearances, television shows and even tours. Many psychics choose to keep their net worth on the down-low for a variety of reasons; some believe that psychics shouldn't make any money from their gift, while still others are on the sidelines cheering them on in their success. We'll let you be the judge as you read about some of the richest psychics to disclose their net worth to us lowly admirers, or cynics....
5. Ron Bard - $1 Million
Headlining as a “psychic to the stars”, Ron Bard is no stranger to the psychic world. The son of famous psychic Yolana Bard, also known as New York's "Queen of the Psychics”. Bard says he only reluctantly became a psychic after his mother discovered that he had a gift. Bard, the first - and only - psychic to have been featured in Forbes magazine -has a clientèle base that includes celebrities such as Brad Pitt and Kelsey Grammer. His job also includes assisting Japanese authorities in solving crimes through his psychic abilities. Between his varied clientèle and appearances in Japanese media, the once homeless Bard is doing well financially with a net worth of over $1 million. He remains heavily involved with the country of Japan and is a public advocate of the country.
4. Theresa Caputo - $1 - 10 Million
While her claims of having psychic abilities have been consistently challenged, that hasn't stopped Theresa Caputo from hitting commercial success with her TLC show, “Long Island Medium”. She's most commonly criticized for approaching random strangers in public on her show and using the technique of “cold reading” to convince bystanders that she has legitimate abilities. Caputo has about as almost as many critics as she has fans, but there's no doubt that she's able to wow people with her gift. Since the première of Long Island Medium in 2011, Caputo has become one of the most sought-after psychics in the world, with sold-out shows in huge venues. There are thousands who believe in her abilities and continue to book private readings with her - which, of course, cost a pretty penny - and they seem to outweigh the naysayers who continue to look for more skeletons in her closet to discredit her. The Long Island Medium is well into its forth season, and Caputo's networth has been estimated at anywhere between $1 million and $10 million.
3. Derren Brown - $7.5 million
This one is a bit of a wild card; Englishman Derren Brown, who conducts large-scale illusions, magic shows and psychic medium readings, has readily admitted he's a total fraud. He doesn't believe in the psychic industry, and would likely be the first to talk out against his compatriots on this list. Derren uses a range of trickery, behavioural analysis and body language to convince his audience and his unsuspecting victims that something metaphysical is going on. He made his admirable fortune through several TV series in the UK, hugely successful touring shows, and books.
2. Uri Geller - $10 Million
Uri Geller is probably one of the more controversial psychics out there today. Having been active in the public since the seventies, he's a very skilled illusionist. His most notable claim to fame was probably his spoon-bending abilities via, he says, the power of his mind. However, controversy came into play because Geller insisted on only using his own equipment for the demonstrations. He caught the attention of famous skeptic and debunker, James Randi, who insisted that Geller’s psychic abilities were nothing more than magic tricks. In 1973, during his appearance on The Tonight Show, Geller was unable to bend spoons because the host, Johnny Carson, insisted that Geller used the spoons that the studio provided instead of his own. But Geller didn't let the public shaming stop him, and he continues to maintain a faithful following - and a bulging bank account - today.
1. Sylvia Browne - $70 Million
The recently deceased Sylvia Browne has left behind a tremendous legacy of success, heartache, controversy, and accomplishments. She commonly made appearances on the Montel Williams Show and Larry King Live, and authored several books about explorations into psychic abilities as well as covering new age and metaphysical topics. Browne's very public psychic predictions put her at risk of public scrutiny, and ridicule whenever her predictions turned out to be incorrect. Her most controversial case was when she informed the mother of Amanda Berry that her daughter was dead, which proved later to be false when Berry was found in 2013 - but tragically, Berry's mother died two years prior believing that her daughter was dead. However, regardless of the controversy, Sylvia Browne's books and public appearances netted her a huge fortune. While claims as to the exact amount of her wealth vary, the most generation reported estimation comes in at $70 million. It seems that a sixth sense can pay well - when combined with a good business sense, at least.
