Boulder psychic ordered to repay $230K swindled from member of Lacoste family

A Boulder psychic accused of swindling a member of the family that founded the Lacoste clothing company was sentenced to probation this week and ordered to pay back the more than $200,000 she admitted to stealing.

In a deal with prosecutors, Becky Ann Lee, 33, pleaded guilty in Boulder District Court on Monday to theft between $100,000 and $1 million, according to Catherine Olguin, spokeswoman for the Boulder County District Attorney's Office.

Lee had been scheduled to stand trial in April.

As a condition of the plea agreement, Lee was sentenced to 10 years of economic-crimes probation and was ordered to pay Victoria Lacoste $232,667 — the amount she admitted to stealing. Economic-crimes probation places strict restrictions on Lee's ability to conduct certain financial transactions.

Olguin said Lee already paid has $75,000 up front and will need to pay another $25,000 by the end of March.

Lee did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday.

Prosecutors said Lacoste, who was a student at the University of Colorado and a member of the family that founded the French clothing company, began seeing Lee in 2014 for tarot card readings, and later for services as a "spiritual adviser to work on her Chakra balancing."

Police said Lee convinced Lacoste to give her more than $200,000 in cash over the course of about a year, according to an arrest affidavit.

The two used the money to buy gold coins, which Lee allegedly told Lacoste would be used in her rituals. Police said she instead pawned them, and dodged Lacoste's questions about when she would get them back.

Police said Lee also convinced Lacoste to buy her gift cards, which police said Lee used to buy items that she would then return for cash. Lacoste also transferred large amounts of money into Lee's bank account.

The affidavit said that Lee pressured Lacoste to "continue their work" or "evil spirits" would gain more power over her, and she convinced Lacoste to lie to her parents about why she kept needing more money.

According to the affidavit, after police contacted Lee in August, she told Lacoste not to talk to the police because it would get Lee into trouble. She convinced Lacoste in September to sign a contract for "life coaching" that said they would "mutually decide" on how to dispose of the coins.