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TORRANCE (CNS) - A judge Wednesday pared a lawsuit filed by a man who claims a Palos Verdes Estates psychic falsely promised him in 2021 that she could remove a curse put in place by the man's ex-girlfriend in exchange for $5,100.
In a separate motion, Torrance Superior Court Judge Gary Tanaka denied a defense bid to reclassify Mauro Restrepo's case so as to limit the plaintiff's potential damages to $25,000.
Restrepo filed the suit last Oct. 1 against psychic Sophia Adams and her business, Psychic Love Specialist by Sophia; the psychic's husband, George Adams; her daughter, Tiffany Winston -- also known as Tiffany Johnson and Tiffany Adams -- and Adams' landlords, Christ and Polly Koutroumbis.
Attorney Gary Kurtz, on behalf of Adams and the other individual defendants, argued in court papers that reclassification was warranted even if Restrepo's allegations were deemed true. If the motion had been granted, Restrepo would have been entitled to a maximum of $25,000, but Kurtz maintained in his court papers that the entire dispute involves a claim for no more than $1,000.
"This is truly an example of the adage that anyone can be sued for anything in California, no matter how silly the claim," Kurtz stated.
But in his ruling, the judge implied recategorizing Restrepo's cause in such a way would amount to guessing.
"A case should not be reclassified if the court believes it is merely unlikely that the jurisdictional amount will be reached," the judge wrote.
In the other ruling, Tanaka dismissed the negligent infliction of emotional distress claim brought against the fortune teller as well as the conspiracy cause of action filed against her individual co-defendants. The judge said Restrepo will have to provide more details in his causes of action for fraud, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress against the psychic -- as well as the presumed negligence claim against all individual defendants -- for those allegations to remain part of the case.
The judge gave Restrepo 20 days to file an amended complaint.
Restrepo says Adams read his tarot cards and told him he had "mala suerte," or "bad luck" that was placed on him by a witch hired by his ex- girlfriend. Adams told Restrepo that unless Adams removed the curse, Restrepo and his family would be "unhappy and in danger," the suit states.
Restrepo seeks a minimum of $25,000 in compensatory damages, plus punitive damages.
However, Adams denies saying anything to Restrepo about a curse. She previously told City News Service that he made an appointment on Sept. 17, 2021 and was indeed given a tarot card reading, and that afterward he said he was unlucky in love and was looking for some type of healing or meditation.
Adams said she offered him a crystal for $5,100. Crystals are commonly used in tarot practice.
Restrepo could not afford the full balance, so he gave Sophia a $1,000 cash advance and the two agreed the crystal would not be ordered until the full balance was paid, according to Adams.