A 27-year-old Toronto woman has been charged with pretending to practice witchcraft. In Canada, it is actually legal to practice witchcraft, but if you are pretending to be a witch, you may be punished. 

That was the case for Samantha Stevenson, who went by the alias Evanna Lopez while pretending to be a sorceress. Police believe the woman was a fake enchantress because of her contact with a 67-year-old man in 2014. She informed the man that his home was full of evil spirits and then encouraged him to sell the house and transfer the money into her account. Stevenson, posing as a psychic, said she would hold on to the money until the spirits were eliminated.

Police say that Stevenson never returned the money and that she went on to demand another $6,000 in cash. She promised to burn the $6,000 to ward off the spirits. In total, the man allegedly lost more than $600,000.

After an investigation, police charged Stevenson with pretending to practice witchcraft, fraud or more than $5,000, and possession of property obtained by crime.

Naturally, those who heard of the news were shocked that “pretending” to be a witch was a crime but that it’s perfectly legal to be an actual witch.

David Fleischer@Fleischmarket

Apparently the Criminal Code still has anti-Witchcraft provisions. Or, I guess it's fine if you are actually a witch but pretending is a no no.
(Note: the actual story isn't funny.)

York Regional Police✔@YRP

'Psychic Evanna LOPEZ' (real name Samantha STEVENSON) has been charged with Pretending to Practise Witchcraft and Fraud after taking more than $600,000 from a victim with the promise of removing evil spirits. https://www.yrp.ca/en/Modules/News/index.aspx?newsId=418bf719-5e8d-4bb5-b4bb-56fc18505eb5 …

4:12 PM - Oct 25, 2018

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Stuart Muir@Stooiee923

There's a charge for PRETENDING TO PRACTICE WITCHCRAFT?!?!?

York Regional Police✔@YRP

'Psychic Evanna LOPEZ' (real name Samantha STEVENSON) has been charged with Pretending to Practise Witchcraft and Fraud after taking more than $600,000 from a victim with the promise of removing evil spirits. https://www.yrp.ca/en/Modules/News/index.aspx?newsId=418bf719-5e8d-4bb5-b4bb-56fc18505eb5 …

6:13 PM - Oct 25, 2018

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Corpsedaguy@JamesTCanadian

seriously people, if you're gonna practice #witchcraft do it for reals. all those pretend witches making the serious practitioners look bad.

CTV News✔@CTVNews

Woman charged with pretending to practice witchcraft after allegedly bilking man out of $600K http://ctv.news/wyh8yEO 

5:31 PM - Oct 25, 2018

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Wiccans follow a rule of harming no one and would never try to con a person out of money or a home.

Canada is currently in the process of updating its criminal code, which would include the legalization of dueling and telling fortunes. However, until Section 365 of the Code is changed, pretending to be a witch remains a crime.