Miss Cleo Settles: Press Release

Released On: November 14, 2002

Miss Cleo, the so-called "psychic tarot card reader" accused by the Federal Trade Commission of committing phone fraud, has agreed to cancel $500 million is customer bills to settle her case. (See http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20021114_1275.html )

Dr. Edward Hudgins, the Objectivist Center's Washington director and author of an earlier op-ed on this case, said that, "It seems that Miss Cleo committed criminal acts. But let's also remember that the millions of people who supposedly used her clearly fraudulent services are guilty of extreme gullible and were just asking to be exploited. Her customers could not be so stupid as to think that pictures and numbers on randomized pieces of paper could actually tell their fortunes. They were being dishonest with themselves. Miss Cleo is to be morally condemned just as we'd condemn someone who makes a living selling liquor to alcoholics. And those who condemn her should strive to create a culture that values reason, since no thinking person would ever use the services of a psychic."

For Dr. Hudgins' op-ed see /articles/ehudgins_miss-cleo-criminal-fraud.asp You can reach him at 202-296-7263 or at ehudgins@objectivistcenter.org .

The Objectivist Center is a national non-profit think tank promoting the values of reason, individualism, freedom and achievement in America. For more information about the Objectivist Center, please visit www.ObjectivistCenter.org.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Dr. Hudgins is available for interviews. Photo available.

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