Tony Golossian (age 62) was found guilty of 24 charges, most involving sexual intercourse without consent. His friend Arthur Psichogios (age 40) was found guilty of 14 similar charges, with Arthur's wife Frances Psichogios (38) being found guilty of seven charges that included administering an intoxicating substance.
The victims were told black magic curses had been placed on them, thence attending "prayer sessions" at motels where they were blindfolded and sexually assaulted.
The case references are R v Tony Golossian (2008/00082733 and 2009/00080543), R v Frances Psichogios (2009/00080062) and R v Arthur Psichogios (2009/00080624 and 2009/00132490).
The offences have attracted attention since 2008, when the Daily Telegraph reported allegations that Golossian drugged, blindfolded and sexually assaulted the woman at four motels in Sydney and one on the Central Coast over a four-year-period from 2001 to 2005. Police statements tendered in Parramatta Local Court in 2008, according to the DT, claimed that Golossian told a then 23-year-old bank employee that her 15-year-old sister would develop breast cancer and that her "fallopian tubes would no longer function" if the woman refused to participate in the rituals. The woman reportedly told police she paid Golossian and his co-accused between $70,000 and $100,000 for the "prayer sessions". Clearly there is much to be said for scepticism. At the time Magistrate Graham Johnson refused bail and reportedly described the matter as "one of the most bizarre and evil cases I have come across in over 40 years". There were subsequently reports that Golossian allegedly faked a heart attack in an attempt to avoid facing court. In September 2008 the SMH reported that
In 2005, realising that her sister had not died prior to 2004 as outlined in the curse, the woman ceased contact with Golossian and Psichogios, left her job, moved and married, taking on her husband's surname.In 2010 the District Court heard claims that the husband of the alleged second victim was told to pay $50,000 to "someone he had sinned against" within three months or face having to abandon his family and live as a monk, with the couple being advised that if they didn't take part in prayer sessions to lift the curse, they would die of cancer, in fatal car accidents or house fires.
However in 2006 the woman's husband received photos and videos on his mobile phone, showing segments of [videos made during the supposed rituals].
He did not believed his wife's explanation for the photos and videos and filed for divorce, leaving the woman alone and pregnant, police said.
The mobile phone messages were sent from a number registered to King Rasoul [aka the angel who featured in the rituals], and that mobile phone was also seized by police during Friday's raids.
