I was roped into a cult-like group dedicated to demonic magic after I made one harmless purchase from Etsy

After years of suffering from horrendous discomfort due to her herniated disc, Sandra had become desperate for anything that could help her. She had tried everything her doctor recommended to no avail – so when she found a candle online that promised to alleviate the pain, she decided to try it.

Sandra, 48, from Atlanta, Georgia, never expected that the purchase would lead to her getting roped into a group she described as ‘cult-like,’ scammed out of tens of thousands of dollars and relentlessly ‘harassed’ for years.

She’s not the only customer of Ashley Otori’s Etsy shop who has claimed they were tricked into spending an immense amount of money on bogus ‘magical’ products that didn’t work or never came.

She and multiple other women have also alleged that Otori lied about having a Harvard degree in psychology and used her ‘fake credentials’ to build authority and charge them for ‘consultations.’

In addition, they have claimed that when they ultimately decided to leave the group, Otori and her followers ‘harassed’ them, gave them creepy gifts – including a cockroach naming certificate – and sent them death threats.

‘Etsy witches’ have gained popularity in recent years. The concept particularly became a hot topic after a woman claimed she had hired one to curse Charlie Kirk before his September 2025 murder.

‘I found [Otori] on Etsy,’ Sandra told the Daily Mail. ‘I had a herniated disc at the time, which caused something called foot drop, which is a neurological issue. I was willing to try anything to try and get my foot to work.’

Sandra said that after her purchase, she received a message from Otori asking if she’d like to join her Facebook group.

‘She presented herself as an expert with real credentials, the products had professional branding,’ she recalled.

Another former member, who requested to be referred to by the pseudonym Michelle, said she found Otori’s Etsy shop while looking for something to help her friend who was having ‘issues with a relationship.’

‘It was a magic potion presented as a wellness product,’ Michelle said. ‘I did a couple of purchases and then she invited me to what she described as a group to do magic.

‘She said, “Do you want to be part of this group? We initiate people into magic, talk about magic, stuff like that.” It was interesting to me, I knew nothing about it, so I said sure.’

Otori’s Etsy shop has since been shut down, but she still sells her products through her website, 7th Witch House – The Order of Dark Arts. The Facebook group is described as ‘a group of Luciferian practitioners dedicated to the practice of Demonic Magick’ and currently has around 1,500 members. 

The women we spoke with said that Otori, who claimed to be a ‘sixth-generation witch,’ would constantly post in the group about her products, which ranged from magical potions and oils to enchanted candles and jewelry pieces.

‘She pumped out potions claiming they’d help you with anything from losing weight to winning the lottery to getting back an ex to solving cancer,’ Michelle said. ‘Whatever claim you had, [she had a potion for it].’

Lisa Cintron, from San Diego, California, who was one of the first members of the group, told the Daily Mail that Otori ‘would sell these oils with a promise [they would] do something’ such as help you get wealthy.

‘People got so excited about these oils that they [posted about] drinking them, bathing in them – it was like this frenzy,’ Cintron continued. ‘People were spending money they didn’t have, they were borrowing money [to purchase them], they were completely obsessed with these products.’

The description of Otori’s ‘famous’ wealth potion reads: ‘World famous and best-selling “Wealth Potion” is back! Fresh batch marinated for weeks is ready to go.

‘Provides incredible rush of fast Wealth due to having demon Clauneck tied to the batches. This oil has a 98% success rate amongst thousands of buyers through Etsy, Facebook and other various channels.

‘This recipe has made customers over 2 million dollars [sic] in results combined. HIGHLY potent and HIGHLY recommended.’

Her ‘healing potion,’ on the other hand, is described as a ‘powerful and effective remedy for a wide range of physical and emotional ailments.’

‘Marbas is known for his ability to heal and cure all kinds of illnesses and diseases, including those that are incurable by conventional medicine,’ she wrote in the description. ‘The Marbas Healing Potion harnesses the power of this Demon to bring relief and balance to your life.

‘Whether you are struggling with a physical ailment or emotional wound, this potion is designed to help you heal and restore your sense of well-being.’

Our sources also claimed that Otori often failed to deliver many products despite people paying for them.

‘She said she was coming out with this book [about her magic in 2021], and she started taking pre-orders,’ Michelle claimed. ‘The book has still not [come out]. [Otori] removed it from her website. They took people’s money and never delivered the book.

‘She was also selling courses [in magic], some were $200 others were $1,000. To this day, people [paid in] 2021 or 2022 and the courses are still not completed – and we’re in 2026.’

The women also alleged that Otori announced to the group in 2021 that she was getting her PhD at Harvard. They said she then began charging $150 for 30-minute one-on-one consultations.

In 2024, Otori claimed that she had completed her PhD at the ivy league school and had officially become a doctor in psychology.

In March 2024, she shared what appeared to be a letter of completion for a degree, and called herself ‘Dr Ashley Otori.’ One month later, she shared a photo of a banner that read: ‘Dr Ashley Otori, Class of 2024, Harvard University.’

‘She would provide coaching, using her credentials as a psychologist to “help” people,’ Michelle alleged.

‘She built [what appeared to be] a credible venue for her to start advising people on life decisions.’

A description of the consultations on Otori’s website reads: ‘Dive into the enigmatic world of demonology and magick with Ashley Otori, a leading scholar whose insights bridge the arcane and the academic. 

‘In this captivating 30-minute voice call, you’re not just asking questions – you’re embarking on a cerebral adventure. This is not medical or professional mental health advice. This is strictly about magick.’

The women said they ‘verified with Harvard that there was never an Ashley Otori in attendance.’ The Daily Mail has attempted to contact Harvard to confirm Otori’s attendance but has not received a response.

In 2020, Otori posted a Facebook announcement that said she had ‘teamed up with Swarovski’ for a ‘limited edition amulet’ called the Circle of Transmutation Choronzon Necklace.

‘There was never a partnership with Swarovski, and we have that in writing,’ Michelle told the Daily Mail. ‘Swarovski said there’s no collaboration with this person, and there never was a collaboration with this person.’

A representative for Swarovski told the Daily Mail that the brand has not worked with Otori.

‘Following our internal review, I inform you that there has not been any collaboration with the individual in question,’ the spokesperson said. ‘There has not been any form of partnership or relationship between Swarovski and the person mentioned.’

Cintron said that, as time went on, what started as a group to talk about magic began to develop a ‘cult-like vibe.’

‘People started calling Otori queen,’ she said. ‘It was really bizarre.’

A different former member, named Sarah, claimed that Otori influenced members to make ‘major financial, emotional and life decisions’ based on the belief that she ‘held this soul, spiritual and psychological authority.’

According to the women, spending was constantly encouraged in the group, and if you weren’t buying products, Otori would become ‘hostile.’ Many of them admitted that they spent thousands on her products over the years.

‘The financial investment kept escalating,’ Sandra said. ‘It was like, the more you spend, the nicer she is to you.’

The women claimed that those who questioned Otori or inquired about undelivered orders caused fierce tension.

‘Ashley is really nice until you have questions, or try to question her,’ Sandra said. ‘She had a course that started in 2021, and it still hasn’t finished, so I had questions. [I’d say], “Hey, when is the next lesson gonna come out?” She would always delete those questions. She would never answer me.

‘I wasn’t getting answers, things started feeling weird to me. So that’s when I left.’

Sarah claimed Otori would publicly ‘criticize’ anyone who complained or left the group, branding them as ‘traitors’ and turning the rest of the members against them.

‘There was retaliation toward the people who simply just questioned [where their orders were],’ she said.

All the women we spoke with, who have since cut ties with the group, claimed that they’ve faced continuous online ‘harassment’ from Otori and other members of the group since leaving – including death threats.

‘Leaving the group triggers a whole range of things on her end, including punishment, smear campaigns, intimidation, harassment and attempts to completely destroy the [life of the] person who’s leaving,’ Sarah said.

She alleged that the group has ‘targeted her reputation’ and has used ‘intimidation and humiliation’ to try to bring her down.

She claimed one user posted ‘satellite pictures of her home’ to scare her, while others often leave ‘derogatory and reputation-damaging comments’ on her social media accounts. Sarah claimed she received a cockroach naming certificate from Otori on Valentine’s Day.

She has filed multiple police reports against Otori, which were viewed by the Daily Mail.

‘It has not let up,’ Sarah said. ‘How do people who want to step away from something like this [make it stop?] Is there ever going to be a point where they do not pursue you anymore, or is this now the rest of our lives?’

Michelle alleged that after she left the group, Otori attempted to destroy her online business. She has also filed multiple police reports against Otori.

‘She took a list of all my customers, and she sent them messages about me with lies about me,’ Michelle claimed. ‘The retaliation is real, the retaliation is big.

‘They have posted malicious, completely fake consumer reports of my business… They also have texted my husband directly, accusing him of a bunch of different things.’

‘I strongly dispute multiple, if not all factual assertions contained in your [report],’ Otori told the Daily Mail when reached for comment about this story in full.

‘I am currently reviewing the remaining allegations with counsel and compiling documentation relating to customer fulfillment records, moderation history, communications and prior harassment concerns involving certain former members and online actors.

‘Formal cease-and-desist notices regarding extreme defamatory and harassing conduct were issued previously to formerly removed moderators who have been partaking in relentless online harassment.’

Sandra has filed a civil suit against Otori, citing a financial loss of over $48,000. In the lawsuit, she accused Otori of many things including ‘fraud and negligent misrepresentation.’ 

‘Defendant represented to Plaintiff and other members of Defendant’s online community that she possessed specialized academic credentials. Defendant presented herself as “Dr Ashley Otori” and made representations claiming she held a doctorate in psychology from Harvard University,’ the lawsuit reads.

‘Plaintiff has now exhausted all available channels for verifying the claimed credential under every known legal name associated with Defendant, and no verification has been obtained.’

Otori filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit last month, stating ‘lack of jurisdiction, improper venue, a failure to state legally sufficient claims.’ 

‘Plaintiff fails to identify specific false statements, the time and manner in which such statements were made or facts demonstrating justifiable reliance,’ Otori’s filing read.

‘Plaintiff’s allegations are further undermined by her own assertion that she engaged in numerous voluntary transactions over an extended period of time. Such conduct is inconsistent with a claim of reasonable reliance on alleged misrepresentations.’

The case is still ongoing.

‘You can’t be a psychologist just because you want to be,’ Sandra said to the Daily Mail. ‘I can’t take patients just because I think I’m awesome. That’s just not legal.

‘It’s not like we joined some big magic group and the magic didn’t work. That’s not what this is about. This is about this crazy lady affecting our lives daily. And she won’t stop… it’s exhausting emotionally to go through all this.’