Van Praagh (sp?) "solving" a murder

[VicDaring]

Amyone have any information about Van Fraud supposedly solving a murder at some point?

My woo-woo boss and I got into about this some time ago. She started in about the murdersolving thing, which I knew nothing about. She's talking about how it's "well documented," which I can say is incorrect, 'cause if it's that well documented I'd have much better luck finding details someplace.

With no hard info to go on, I kind of relied on the, "Well, the guy's whole act is a fraud, why would this be any different," approach.

She actually said, "That's all you can do? Just keep saying he's a fraud. Until you have something better than that, I don't want to hear it."

So now I've somehow been tasked with proving the negative. Which I don't mind so much, it seems like such a slam dunk, but I just can't find anything on this.

So, fellow JREFers, any links or other sources debunking this claim would be greatly appreciated.

 

[RC]

Hi VicDaring,

You spelled JVP's name right. I'm aware of what your boss is talking about. JVP has claimed to have solved a murder by getting a message that led to finding key evidence. Something about a watch in the garage if I remember correctly.

But it's not well-documented at all. He writes about it in his first book and that's the only place I've ever been able to find info on it.

 

[CFLarsen]

VicDaring,

Put the ball in her court.

Go to your boss and tell her that you haven't been able to find anything about this case. Kinda admit defeat. Mention JVPs book as the only source, that will tell her that you did work on this.

Then ask her if she can find this well-documented case, as you've become very interested in this.

If she finds something, let us know and we'll look at it skeptically.

If she finds nothing, perhaps it will make her think.

 

[Instig8R]

I did an internet search to for more information about the alleged crime-solving abilities of James Van Fraud. The only article I could locate appeared in the 3/19/98 issue of USA Today.

Here is the quote:

"Most readings take a spiritual bent, but some take a more practical one, like crime solving. "A lady came to see me, and during the reading a man, her husband, came through. He had been a diamond merchant and told her he had been killed over a bad deal. She thought he was a suicide. He told her two men after money had killed him. It came out later to be true."

Here is the link:
USA Today article

Note that no names are given-- no victim, no survivor, no nothing. (I presume this is the same alleged crime that Van Fraud pretended to solve in his book.)

 

[Cleopatra]

Another crime case solved by a psychic?

Why don't they come over here to give us a hand and teach the local mediums how to solve crimes. I will pay for their tickets...

 

[Ed]

Amyone have any information about Van Fraud supposedly solving a murder at some point?

My woo-woo boss and I got into about this some time ago. She started in about the murdersolving thing, which I knew nothing about. She's talking about how it's "well documented," which I can say is incorrect, 'cause if it's that well documented I'd have much better luck finding details someplace.

With no hard info to go on, I kind of relied on the, "Well, the guy's whole act is a fraud, why would this be any different," approach.

She actually said, "That's all you can do? Just keep saying he's a fraud. Until you have something better than that, I don't want to hear it."

So now I've somehow been tasked with proving the negative. Which I don't mind so much, it seems like such a slam dunk, but I just can't find anything on this.

So, fellow JREFers, any links or other sources debunking this claim would be greatly appreciated.

Vic,

One of two approaches might work. First is that you go to see her. Calmly close the door and then pull a Joe Pesci on her. Just beat hell out of her.

An alternative is to ask her for the reference since it is not findable in a search of the internet. She will hem and haw. Say that the only reference that you could find was in his own book and that surely dosen't count since if that truly were it it would rely solely on his word. She will hesitate. Quietly suggest that perhaps "fraud" was too strong inasmuch as he is clearly just a lier. As she protests take her in your arms and passionately embrace her. Say, "what does it matter as long as we have each other". Don't let her say anything, just put your finger to her lips and say, breathlessly, "until later". Leave the office. Go back to where ever it is you allegedly work. The roses that you ordered, cleverly, beforehand should be delivered at about this time.

Marry her in a small ceramony. Honeymoon in Florence. Churn out 2 kids quickly. As soon as they can read, register them on this board. We will take care of the rest.

You see, Vic (may I call you Vic?), sometimes it takes a generation to cure woo-wooism.

 

[Instig8R]

Re: Re: Van Praagh (sp?) "solving" a murder

You see, Vic (may I call you Vic?), sometimes it takes a generation to cure woo-wooism.

ROFL. Thanks, Ed, for that great solution to the problem

... and for putting the "woo" back in "woman"... (I think).

 

[Ed]

Re: Re: Re: Van Praagh (sp?) "solving" a murder

ROFL. Thanks, Ed, for that great solution to the problem

... and for putting the "woo" back in "woman"... (I think).

I, personally, am getting more direct in my conversations. To many conversations with De_Bunk, perhaps.

 

[VicDaring]

Oh man, that's funny, Ed.

Now, said supervisor is in fact fairly attractive.

But since she uses a wheelchair, option 1 would make me look pretty bad.

And option 2 doesn't seem much better, 'cause she's returning from maternity leave soon. And her husband has much better hair than me.

Something to think about though...

 

[Ed]

Oh man, that's funny, Ed.

Now, said supervisor is in fact fairly attractive.

But since she uses a wheelchair, option 1 would make me look pretty bad.

And option 2 doesn't seem much better, 'cause she's returning from maternity leave soon. And her husband has much better hair than me.

Something to think about though...

Wheelchair? You should have said so. Forget Pesci. Go Richard Widmark

From some film site:

"It is one of the most chilling moments in screen history. An old woman in a wheelchair is confronted in her apartment by a trench-coated thug. "I’m askin’ ya, where’s that squealin’ Van Praugh?" he says. Dissatisfied by the woman’s response, the thug rips the cord from a nearby lamp, ties the woman into the chair, then pushes her down a flight of stairs, maniacally cackling as she plunges to the bottom of the staircase and to the floor."
(Slight edit to heighten dramatic effect and relevance)

Film: Kiss of Death
Actor: Richard Widmark
Old Lady: Who cares, she's a goner, you get a promotion
Character: Tommy Udo
Satisfaction: Priceless

Welcome to the board, BTW. Hopefully humor directed at old ladies and cripples does not offend you. If it does, well, heck, I'll help you back up the stairs with her.

 

[VicDaring]

I always say nothing offends me.

It's a by-product of being free of superstition, I think.

 

[Ed]

I always say nothing offends me.

It's a by-product of being free of superstition, I think.

I like you already.

 

[hgc]

I like you already.

Careful, he could be a plant.

Vic, please give a synopsis of the mind/body problem.

 

[Ed]

Careful, he could be a plant.

Vic, please give a synopsis of the mind/body problem.

Hmmm.....Right. Vic, would you like to debate materialism for, say, 10 pages?

 

[Clancie]

Posted by Instig8r

...Note that no names are given-- no victim, no survivor, no nothing. (I presume this is the same alleged crime that Van Fraud pretended to solve in his book.)

Hi g8r. Good find! (my internet search turned up nothing). But I believe that the "solved murder" the woman is referring to is probably long before this, at the start of JVP's career and involved a missing boy.

When the highly fictionalized! tv movie version of JVP's
life story came out, the writers used the idea he claims is true--that he had helped solve a child's murder, but even he admitted that the way it was portrayed was far, far, far from the reality of what happened. (Unfortunately even when the movie came out, his website contained no further details of where, when or how it was solved--or the specifics of his involvement).

And, imo, if JVP had any credibility for honesty prior to that movie (which he helped produce), the movie's blatant inaccuracies totally would have undermined it.