{{Infobox person , name = Bob Nygaard , image = File:Private Investigator Bob Nygaard.jpg , image_size = , caption = Nygaard in 2015 , birth_date = , birth_place =

Queens, New York Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...

, U.S. , death_date = , death_place = , death_cause = , nationality = American , other_names = , known_for =

Psychic A psychic is a person who claims to use powers rooted in parapsychology, such as extrasensory perception (ESP), to identify information hidden from the normal senses, particularly involving telepathy or clairvoyance; or who performs acts that a ...

fraud In law, fraud is intent (law), intentional deception to deprive a victim of a legal right or to gain from a victim unlawfully or unfairly. Fraud can violate Civil law (common law), civil law (e.g., a fraud victim may sue the fraud perpetrato ...

investigations , education =

New York City Police Academy The New York City Police Academy is the police academy of the New York City Police Department (NYPD). It is located in College Point, Queens. Within the organization of the New York City Police Department, the Chief of Training oversees the Trai ...

, alma_mater =

Southern Methodist University Southern Methodist University (SMU) is a Private university, private research university in Dallas, Texas, United States, with a satellite campus in Taos County, New Mexico. SMU was founded on April 17, 1911, by the Methodist Episcopal Church, ...

, employer = , occupation =

Police officer A police officer (also called policeman or policewoman, cop, officer or constable) is a Warrant (law), warranted law employee of a police, police force. In most countries, ''police officer'' is a generic term not specifying a particular rank. ...

Private investigator A private investigator (often abbreviated to PI; also known as a private detective, an inquiry agent or informally a wikt:private eye, private eye) is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. ...

, website = Bob Nygaard is an American

private investigator A private investigator (often abbreviated to PI; also known as a private detective, an inquiry agent or informally a wikt:private eye, private eye) is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. ...

(PI) specializing in the investigation of confidence crimes, most notably psychic fraud. He has been instrumental in the arrest and conviction of numerous psychics, helping their victims obtain justice including financial restitution amounting to millions of dollars. He has consulted for

ABC News ABC News most commonly refers to: * ABC News (Australia), a national news service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation * ABC News (United States), a news-gathering and broadcasting division of the American Broadcasting Company ABC News may a ...

and ''

20/20 Visual acuity (VA) commonly refers to the clarity of visual perception, vision, but technically rates an animal's ability to recognize small details with precision. Visual acuity depends on optical and neural factors. Optical factors of the eye ...

'' as a specialist in psychic fraud. Nygaard previously was a member of the

New York City Transit Police The New York City Transit Police Department was a law enforcement agency in New York City that existed from 1953 (with the creation of the New York City Transit Authority) to 1995, and is currently part of the NYPD. The roots of this organiz ...

and Nassau County

Police Department The police are a constituted body of people empowered by a state with the aim of enforcing the law and protecting the public order as well as the public itself. This commonly includes ensuring the safety, health, and possessions of citize ...

, retiring from service in 2008. In 2018, Nygaard appeared as himself in episode "The Psychic Didn't See Him Coming" of the CBS true-crime show '' Pink Collar Crimes'', which portrays his investigations of the crimes committed by self-proclaimed psychic and convicted fraudster Gina Marks. In 2021, Nygaard was featured in "The Psychic Con" episode of the ABC TV series '' The Con''. Nygaard is sympathetic to psychic fraud victims whom, he says, law enforcement authorities often fail to take seriously. He is also an outspoken critic of the inconsistent prosecution of this type of crime across the United States, and advocates for prison terms for convicted psychics, rather than merely forced restitution to their victims. {{toclimit, limit=3

Early life

Nygaard was born in

, and raised in the

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...

suburb of

New Hyde Park New Hyde Park is a village in the Towns of Hempstead and North Hempstead in Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. It is the anchor community of the Greater New Hyde Park area. The population was 10,257 at the time of the ...

. While in high school, he played on the varsity baseball, basketball, and lacrosse teams.{{R, MiamiNewTimes1 Intending to follow his father into business, Nygaard moved to

Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

where he majored in

entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship is the creation or extraction of economic value in ways that generally entail beyond the minimal amount of risk (assumed by a traditional business), and potentially involving values besides simply economic ones. An entrepreneu ...

, and graduated in 1983. However, in 1985 he changed paths and enlisted in the

.{{R, MiamiNewTimes1

Law enforcement career

In 1985, after graduating from the

, Nygaard joined the

New York City Police Department The City of New York Police Department, also referred to as New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is the largest, and one of the oldest, munic ...

as a transit officer{{R, MiamiNewTimes1 working in

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater ...

.{{R, Skepticality1{{Rp, 22:00 In 1987, Nygaard moved from transit to street patrol in New York's Nassau County,{{R, Broward2 and in 1991 he was assigned to investigate home-improvement scams targeting the elderly. He arrested five men who were wanted for various confidence schemes, and this led to an interest in fraud cases.{{R, Atlantic1 He became knowledgeable in the intricacies of sweetheart swindles,

insurance fraud Insurance fraud is any intentional act committed to deceive or mislead an insurance company during the application or claims process, or the wrongful denial of a legitimate claim by an insurance company. It occurs when a claimant knowingly attem ...

, and

psychic A psychic is a person who claims to use powers rooted in parapsychology, such as extrasensory perception (ESP), to identify information hidden from the normal senses, particularly involving telepathy or clairvoyance; or who performs acts that a ...

{{R, Patheos1 while "bouncing between investigative squads and federal assignments with the

DEA The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating illicit drug trafficking and distribution within the U.S. It is the lead agency for domes ...

and

FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...

".{{R, Atlantic1 In 2007, Nygaard joined the National Association of

Bunco Bunco (also bunko or bonko or buncko) is a dice game with twelve or more players, divided into groups of four, trying to score points while taking turns rolling three dice in a series of six rounds. A bunco is achieved when a person rolls thr ...

Investigators, a

trade organization A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association, sector association or industry body, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific Industry (economics), industry. Through collabor ...

for members of law enforcement and other related fields who specialize in the identification, apprehension, and prosecution of non-traditional

organized crime Organized crime is a category of transnational organized crime, transnational, national, or local group of centralized enterprises run to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for profit. While organized crime is generally thought of as a f ...

suspects.{{R, Atlantic1 Nygaard retired with a full

pension A pension (; ) is a fund into which amounts are paid regularly during an individual's working career, and from which periodic payments are made to support the person's retirement from work. A pension may be either a " defined benefit plan", wh ...

in 2008.{{R, MiamiNewTimes1{{R, Atlantic1

Private investigator career

After retiring from police work, Nygaard moved to

Boca Raton, Florida Boca Raton ( ; ) is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 97,422 in the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and it ranked as the 23rd-largest city in Florida in 2022. Many people with a Boca Raton Address, ...

, in 2008.{{R, Atlantic1 After his time on the police force, Nygaard said he just wanted to "sit out the rest of his days on the beach, lounging around

tiki bars A tiki bar is a themed drinking establishment that serves elaborate cocktails, especially rum-based mixed drinks such as the Mai Tai and Zombie cocktail, Zombie cocktails. Tiki bars are aesthetically defined by their tiki culture décor which is b ...

". However, retirement did not suit Nygaard, and thus he registered as a

(PI).{{R, MiamiNewTimes1 Regarding working as a PI, Nygaard said, "I relished being able to finally wear clothes that reflected my own personal style, like

fedoras A fedora () is a hat with a soft brim and indented crown.Kilgour, Ruth Edwards (1958). ''A Pageant of Hats Ancient and Modern''. R. M. McBride Company. It is typically creased lengthwise down the crown and "pinched" near the front on both sides ...

and

trench coats A trench coat is a variety of coat made of waterproof heavy-duty fabric, originally developed for British Army officers before the First World War, and becoming popular while used in the trenches, hence the name ''trench coat.'' Originally made ...

. I had been restricted to wearing a police uniform for more than 20 years, and my personal style just coincidentally blended perfectly with my new life's work". Initially he took standard PI jobs such as investigating unclaimed money and cheating spouses.{{R, MiamiNewTimes1{{R, Guardian1

Transition to psychic fraud work

An incident in late 2008 at a neighborhood bar set Nygaard on the career path of investigating

scams A scam, or a confidence trick, is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust. Confidence tricks exploit victims using a combination of the victim's credulity, naivety, compassion, vanity, confidence, irresponsibil ...

.{{R, MiamiNewTimes1{{R, Guardian1 At a

happy hour Happy hour is a marketing term for a time when a venue such as a restaurant or bar offers reduced prices on alcoholic drinks. Discounted menu items like appetizers are often served during happy hour. This is a way for bars and restaurants to ...

, Nygaard met two women in the medical profession and regaled them with stories about how he had outsmarted con artists and helped their victims. Shortly after leaving the bar, one of the women – a doctor – called him requesting a meeting alone. She was embarrassed, but revealed she had been scammed by a local psychic named Gina Marie Marks,{{R, MiamiNewTimes1{{R, Patheos1 a well-known Florida fortune-teller with a recently published pseudonymous memoir '' Miami Psychic: Confessions of a Confidante.''{{R, Atlantic1 Nygaard took the case and investigated Marks, ultimately uncovering five other victims of Marks who had been defrauded of a total of $65,000. Despite having gathered this evidence, the authorities refused to press charges against Marks after she agreed to return all the money to the group of victims Nygaard had uncovered. The authorities felt that was enough,{{R, Patheos1 but Nygaard disagreed: {{blockquote, text=It's a revolving door of justice where these people get in trouble, and they try to pay people off – usually pennies on the dollar, but in this case it was the full amount ... And then they never have a conviction on their record and they just go out and do the same thing., {{R, Patheos1 The coverage of the Marks case led to more requests for help, which in turn led to more media coverage and additional cases.{{R, Atlantic1

Television appearances

ABC News and ''20/20''

In April 2014,

did a segment on a South Florida psychic fraud case, and interviewed Nygaard. He was later hired as a consultant for segments on scammers. That led to a ''

'' piece featuring Nygaard's work, which was a " ratings

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the Baseball (ball), ball is hit in such a way that the batting (baseball), batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safe (baseball), safely in one play without any error ( ...

, with an estimated 8.2 million viewers". Nygaard said that as a result, "My phone started lighting up, and it hasn't stopped since".{{R, Broward1

''Dr. Oz: The Prevalence of Fake Psychics''

On May 7, 2018, Nygaard and one of his clients (Priti Mahalanobis) appeared on the Dr. Oz television show to discuss the way in which Ms. Mahalanobis had been scammed out of $136,000 by a fake psychic in Orlando named Peaches Stevens.{{R, DrOz{{R, SI1

''Pink Collar Crimes''

On August 11, 2018,

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

first aired episode 3 of season 1 of its show '' Pink Collar Crimes'', titled "The Psychic Didn't See Him Coming". The episode tells the story of Gina Marie Marks and of Nygaard's investigation of her crimes over a period of 10 years, from 2008 to 2018. Nygaard played himself on the show.{{R, TVGuide{{R, MSNPink

''The Con''

On March 17, 2021, ABC TV aired episode 6 of season 1 of '' The Con'', "The Psychic Con",{{R, DGE which interviews Nygaard and mentalist

Mark Edward Mark Edward (born Mark Edward Wilson, May 19, 1951 – August 4, 2024) was an American mentalist and author. He wrote books on mentalism and séance theory and production, including '' Psychic Blues'' (2009), where he discussed working for the ...

throughout the episode while telling the stories of three of Nygaard's clients.{{R, laughingplace Each woman became emotionally dependent on their psychic and were defrauded out of tens of thousands of dollars, but then sought the help of Nygaard to obtain justice.{{R, discusspw

Notable psychic fraud cases

The scale of the psychic fraud problem is tremendous. Nygaard says he is familiar with a Florida case in which a woman claimed to have been defrauded of $17 million by fortune-tellers,{{R, RDigest1 and he personally has worked a case where his client was defrauded of $900,000.{{R, WTOP1 A

Skeptical Inquirer ''Skeptical Inquirer'' (S.I.) is a bimonthly American general-audience magazine published by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI) with the subtitle "The Magazine for Science and Reason". The magazine initially focused on investigating clai ...

article reports that, as of February 2020, Nygaard had "helped to cause approximately forty self-proclaimed psychics to be arrested and successfully convicted" and had helped victims recover in excess of $4 million. Regarding the recovery amount, Nygaard said that the $4 million reflects what his clients have actually recovered as a result of his efforts. The criminal restitution orders, he says, were for much more. However victims are largely unable to collect on such orders given that self-proclaimed psychics rarely keep any assets in their own names.{{R, SI3 Nygaard has been involved with a number of notable cases, including the following: {{Anchor, PeachesStevens

Priscilla Kelly Delmaro

In 2015, on behalf of his client from

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

, Nygaard led police to Priscilla Kelly Delmaro, who had defrauded his client of over $700,000. Delmaro had convinced her client that he and a woman named Michelle were "twin flames kept apart by negativity", and she could bring them together. After the victim learned Michelle had died, Delmaro said she would reincarnate her in another woman's body.{{R, Independent1{{R, Wilson Over Nygaard's objection, Delmaro was offered a

plea bargain A plea bargain, also known as a plea agreement or plea deal, is a legal arrangement in criminal law where the defendant agrees to plead guilty or no contest to a charge in exchange for concessions from the prosecutor. These concessions can include a ...

including a sentence of less than one year, with no requirement to pay restitution.{{R, NYPost1 Nygaard called the outcome a "travesty" that will encourage what he says is a booming nationwide trade in psychic scams.{{R, LATimes1

Gina Marie Marks

{{Main, Gina Marks GINA MARIE MARKS AT MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

In 2016, Gina Marie Marks, using the pseudonym Natalie Miller, convinced a

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

woman that she had bad energy around her which she could fix. When Marks stopped answering the victim's phone calls after being paid $82,000 over many months, the woman realized she was being scammed and called the police and Nygaard. An

arrest warrant An arrest warrant is a warrant issued by a judge or magistrate on behalf of the state which authorizes the arrest and detention of an individual or the search and seizure of an individual's property. Canada Arrest warrants are issued by a jud ...

was issued, but Marks had fled. Nygaard tracked her to

Miami International Airport Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically as Wilcox Field, is the primary international airport serving Miami and its Miami metropolitan area, surrounding metropolitan area, in the U.S. state of Florida. It hosts over 1, ...

, and contacted the police, who took her into custody just before she boarded a flight to

Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...

.{{R, ABC10-1 Nygaard said, "I saw her come in with her husband and then I followed her through the TSA line, went in (and) followed them to the gate just about 15 to 20 minutes prior to her boarding the plane and heading to Europe". For Nygaard, this was a repeat run-in with Marks; he was instrumental in two previous convictions in

Broward County Broward County ( ) is a County (United States), county in Florida, United States, located in the Miami metropolitan area. It is Florida's second-most populous county after Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County and the List of the most ...

when Marks was sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2010, and forced to repay more than half a million dollars to her victims.{{R, ABC10-1{{R, NBCWash1 In 2018, Marks was convicted of stealing more than $340,000 from five victims over three years. In September 2018, Marks was sentenced to six years in prison and ordered to pay restitution to her victims, with the judge stating that Marks' actions were premeditated and she preyed on vulnerable people.{{R, NBCWash2{{R, WashPost1 In 2018,

aired an episode of its show ''Pink Collar Crimes'' documenting Marks' criminal activities and her pursuit by Nygaard.{{R, TVGuide{{R, MSNPink

Melissa Lee

In 2017, Melissa Lee of

Woodland Hills, Los Angeles Woodland Hills is a neighborhood bordering the Santa Monica Mountains in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California, United States. History The area was inhabited for around 8,000 years by Native Americans in the United States, ...

, was charged with felony grand theft for defrauding her clients of over $100,000. She was arrested after Nygaard tracked down the psychic on behalf of a young actress who alleged that the psychic had fraudulently taken $32,000.{{R, ABC7-1

Linda Marks

In 2017, a woman from

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

reported that she was defrauded by Linda Marks, who was operating a fortunetelling business north of

Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...

, when the psychic claimed to be helping her with " spiritual cleansing and destroying evil energy". Eventually, suspecting a con, the woman enlisted the help of Nygaard, who said his client had paid Marks over $50,000 over many months.

Mount Vernon Mount Vernon is the former residence and plantation of George Washington, a Founding Father, commander of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, and the first president of the United States, and his wife, Martha. An American landmar ...

police met with Nygaard and Seattle police, and started gathering details on Marks. Nygaard located Marks, leading to her arrest in Mount Vernon on charges of first-degree theft by deception; she was initially held on a $75,000

bail bond Bail is a set of pre-trial restrictions that are imposed on a suspect to ensure that they will not hamper the judicial process. Court bail may be offered to secure the conditional release of a defendant with the promise to appear in court when r ...

. A decade earlier, Marks had defrauded victims in South Florida of more than $2 million. In May 2006, Marks was convicted in

U.S. District Court The United States district courts are the trial courts of the U.S. federal judiciary. There is one district court for each federal judicial district. Each district covers one U.S. state or a portion of a state. There is at least one feder ...

Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...

, but had been freed from Florida prison in 2008.{{R, SunSentinel1

Sherry Tina Uwanawich

On September 6, 2019, Sherry Tina Uwanawich (aka Jacklyn Miller), a self-proclaimed "Gypsy healer", was sentenced to 40 months of incarceration by a U.S. District Judge in Florida, and ordered to pay restitution to Nygaard's client.{{R, Banks{{R, USDOJ Uwanawich said she grew up in the "Roma culture", and the women in her family all made money in fortune-telling "at the behest of the men". She had worked at low-income locations until 17 years old, when she encountered Nygaard's client, who was then 27-year-old, at the Galleria in

Houston, Texas Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

in 2007. Uwanawich gained her trust, eventually convincing her that a witch had placed a curse on her family. Uwanawich then claimed she needed large sums of money in order to lift that curse, before harm befell her and her family. The relationship between Uwanawich and her victim continued for seven years, even after Uwanawich moved to Florida. In total, through 2014, the victim turned over approximately $1.6 million to Uwanawich.{{R, Banks The victim, a Brazilian medical student who was suffering from depression,{{R, Mirror turned over money to Uwanawich, which came from numerous sources, including job earnings, loan money, money borrowed from friends and family, and hundreds-of-thousands of dollars from an inheritance. The victim also paid for the psychic's services with clothing, gift cards, and a leased automobile.{{R, Banks Following sentencing, Nygaard said: {{Blockquote, text=I'm really proud of y clientfor being brave and seeking justice instead of suffering in silence as many victims often do... If there's one thing that I've learned from years of specializing in investigating confidence crimes it's that anyone can be scammed by a professional con artist when going through a vulnerable time in his or her life.{{R, Banks

Concerns over inconsistent fraud prosecution

Nygaard says that when people report to law enforcement that they are victims of psychic fraud, they are often told that it is a civil matter, and are turned away. He says that he tries to bring the case to law enforcement "wrapped in a bow", saying, "Listen, when this person first came in, you told them it was a civil matter ... You know what? I know differently. It's a criminal matter".{{R, ABCNews1 But despite his success with high-profile convictions, Nygaard says he still often encounters resistance by law enforcement when he presents them with the evidence of psychic fraud.{{R, ABCNews1 "I would like to say that things have changed, but it's like every time I walk into a new place, you're talking to a new detective or prosecutor ... Some have learned about it; a lot haven't. You still see this attitude that, 'They did it on their own free will — there's no crime here.'"{{R, Broward1{{R, LATimes1 Nygaard says that while the

NYPD The City of New York Police Department, also referred to as New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is the largest, and one of the oldest, munic ...

and the

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

prosecutor's office are generally supportive, the situation in South and Central Florida is very different. "I've had these criminals call me up and tell me Florida is open season for them — they love it. They laugh about it because the prosecutors don't prosecute."{{R, Broward2

Comments on psychics and victims

As a result of his work, Nygaard has been an outspoken critic of psychics and

mediums Mediumship is the practice of purportedly mediating communication between familiar spirits or spirits of the dead and living human beings. Practitioners are known as "mediums" or "spirit mediums". There are different types of mediumship or spir ...

who take advantage of desperate people. Nygaard says that these con-artists are experts at

psychological manipulation In psychology, manipulation is defined as an action designed to influence or control another person, usually in an underhanded or subtle manner which facilitates one's personal aims. Methods someone may use to manipulate another person may includ ...

and that nationwide, this fraud amounts to "billions of dollars". He says that "no other victims are more maligned than victims of psychic fraud", and that victims are often so embarrassed at being swindled that they do not report the crime, despite being broken emotionally and facing financial disaster. "They don't want to see their name in the papers". Nygaard says that psychics anticipate and use this. He says it doesn't matter if the victim is a

college professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a 'person who professes'. Professors ...

, a

lawyer A lawyer is a person who is qualified to offer advice about the law, draft legal documents, or represent individuals in legal matters. The exact nature of a lawyer's work varies depending on the legal jurisdiction and the legal system, as w ...

or a

doctor Doctor, Doctors, The Doctor or The Doctors may refer to: Titles and occupations * Physician, a medical practitioner * Doctor (title), an academic title for the holder of a doctoral-level degree ** Doctorate ** List of doctoral degrees awarded b ...

. "You're on their territory. And he psychicsknow how to take advantage of that."{{R, Patheos1{{R, ABCNews1 Nygaard categorizes much of this type of fraud as

, and says "It's been going on for centuries and is passed down from generation to generation. The mothers teach their daughters." He says that storefront psychics appear to be financially struggling, but actually live in upscale houses and may "drive a

Maserati Maserati S.p.A. () is an Italian luxury vehicle manufacturer. Established on 1 December 1914 in Bologna, Italy, the company's headquarters are now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. The company has been owned by Stellantis since 2021. Ma ...

".{{R, WPTV1

Support of organized skepticism

Beginning in 2018, Nygaard began interacting with the

skeptical movement Scientific skepticism or rational skepticism (also spelled scepticism), sometimes referred to as skeptical inquiry, is a position in which one questions the veracity of claims lacking scientific evidence. In practice, the term most commonly ref ...

. His first interaction was as the featured guest on the ''Skepticality'' podcast where he was interviewed by

Derek Colanduno Derek is a masculine given name. It is the English language short form of Diederik, the Low Franconian form of the name Theodoric. Theodoric is an old Germanic name with an original meaning of "people-ruler" or "lead the people". Common variant ...

. Regarding this Nygaard said, "I'm so happy that Derek contacted me because he opened the door, so to speak, to a whole new group of like-minded people..." This led to Nygaard's invitation to speak at

DragonCon Dragon Con (previously Dragon*Con and sometimes DragonCon) is a North American List of multigenre conventions, multigenre convention, founded in 1987, which takes place annually over the Labor Day weekend in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...

as part of the convention's Skeptic Track, of which he said "Realizing what a great opportunity it would be to help spread the word about psychic fraud, I immediately jumped at the chance to participate." Besides participating in the Skeptic Track, Nygaard participated in several panels on the main conference agenda including "The Science of

Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a Detective fiction, fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a "Private investigator, consulting detective" in his stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with obser ...

" and "

James Bond The ''James Bond'' franchise focuses on James Bond (literary character), the titular character, a fictional Secret Intelligence Service, British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels ...

Spy Class". Nygaard also spoke at the same convention in 2019, doing a one-hour solo presentation titled "Combating Psychic Fraud".{{R, SI3

Beliefs

When asked his opinion on anyone actually having psychic powers, Nygaard said, "Listen, no one has ever proved that they have psychic abilities since the beginning of time. And

James Randi James Randi (born Randall James Hamilton Zwinge; August 7, 1928 – October 20, 2020) was a Canadian-American stage magician, author, and scientific skeptic who extensively challenged paranormal and pseudoscientific claims.#Rodrigues, Rodrig ...

, from the

James Randi Foundation The James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) is an American grant-making institution founded in 1996 by magician and skeptic James Randi. As a nonprofit organization, the mission of JREF includes educating the public and the media on the dangers ...

, he put up a $1 million challenge to any psychic who could prove their abilities. No one has ever collected."{{R, Patheos1

References

{{Reflist, 30em, refs= {{cite web, last1=McAfee , first1=David G., title=This Ex-Cop Has Locked Up 28 'Psychic' Scammers, Returned $3.2M to Victims, url=http://www.patheos.com/blogs/nosacredcows/2017/08/ex-cop-psychic-scammers/, website=Patheos, access-date=23 February 2018, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126035505/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/nosacredcows/2017/08/ex-cop-psychic-scammers/, archive-date=26 January 2018, date=21 August 2017, url-status=live {{cite web, last1=Lopez, first1=Edward T., last2=Pry, first2=Alyssa, last3=Riegger, first3=Prymollie, title=Private Investigator Helped Recover Over $2M for Psychic Fraud Victims, url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/private-investigator-helped-recover-2m-psychic-fraud-victims/story?id=23348889, website=ABC News, access-date=22 February 2018, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126034539/https://abcnews.go.com/US/private-investigator-helped-recover-2m-psychic-fraud-victims/story?id=23348889, archive-date=26 January 2018, date=17 April 2014, url-status=live {{cite web, last1=Mahdawi, first1=Arwa, title=Stranger than pulp fiction: meet Bob Nygaard, America's psychic-crime fighter, url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/feb/12/bob-nygaard-private-investigator-psychic-fraud, website=The Guardian, access-date=22 February 2018, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126035314/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/feb/12/bob-nygaard-private-investigator-psychic-fraud, archive-date=26 January 2018, date=12 February 2015, url-status=live {{cite web, last1=Swenson, first1=Kyle, title=Bob Nygaard, Boca Raton PI Specializing in Psychic Scammers, Lands ABC News Gig, url=http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/bob-nygaard-boca-raton-pi-specializing-in-psychic-scammers-lands-abc-news-gig-6445180, website=Broward Palm Beach New Times, access-date=22 February 2018, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151228130614/http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/bob-nygaard-boca-raton-pi-specializing-in-psychic-scammers-lands-abc-news-gig-6445180, archive-date=28 December 2015, date=24 June 2014, url-status=live {{cite web, last1=Swenson, first1=Kyle, title=How Modern Fortunetellers Pull Off Their Scams, url=http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/how-modern-fortunetellers-pull-off-their-scams-6352098, website=Broward Palm Beach New Times, access-date=22 February 2018, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180222195134/http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/how-modern-fortunetellers-pull-off-their-scams-6352098, archive-date=22 February 2018, date=6 June 2013, url-status=live {{cite web, last1=Rosenow, first1=Martin, title=Psychic Scams Steal Millions From Unwitting Victims, url=http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/bob-nygaard-helps-psychic-scam-victims-9397958, website=Miami New Times, access-date=22 February 2018, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126040018/http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/bob-nygaard-helps-psychic-scam-victims-9397958, archive-date=26 January 2018, date=6 June 2017, url-status=live {{cite web, last1=Entin, first1=Brian, title=Bob Nygaard: Boca Raton private investigator says south Florida is a hotbed for fake fortune tellers, url=https://www.wptv.com/news/region-s-palm-beach-county/boca-raton/a-boca-raton-private-investigator-says-south-florida-is-a-hotbed-for-fake-fortune-tellers, publisher=WPTV, access-date=22 February 2018, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414094952/https://www.wptv.com/news/region-s-palm-beach-county/boca-raton/a-boca-raton-private-investigator-says-south-florida-is-a-hotbed-for-fake-fortune-tellers, archive-date=14 April 2016, date=23 July 2013, url-status=dead {{cite web, last1=Susman, first1=Tina, title=Heartbroken man spends more than $700,000 on psychics, chasing after lover, url=http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-la-man-fortune-teller-20151118-story.html, website=Los Angeles Times, access-date=22 February 2018, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126035045/http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-la-man-fortune-teller-20151118-story.html, archive-date=26 January 2018, date=18 November 2015, url-status=live {{cite web, title=Fortunetelling/Psychic Fraud , url=https://secure-hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/7/4/c/74c2a4dc3612925d/288_Skepticality.mp3?c_id=18704277&expiration=1519339154&hwt=2b68162cd44fc49285acbf5162b6eb65, website=Skepticality, access-date=22 February 2018, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180222210619/https://secure-hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/7/4/c/74c2a4dc3612925d/288_Skepticality.mp3?c_id=18704277&expiration=1519339154&hwt=2b68162cd44fc49285acbf5162b6eb65, archive-date=22 February 2018, url-status=live {{cite web, last1=Uliano, first1=Dick, title=Police: Psychic cheats local woman of $77,000, fails to foresee arrest, url=https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2015/10/police-psychic-who-cheated-local-woman-of-77000-fails-to-foresee-arrest/slide/1/, website=wtop.com, access-date=24 February 2018, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160725131357/https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2015/10/police-psychic-who-cheated-local-woman-of-77000-fails-to-foresee-arrest/slide/1/, archive-date=25 July 2016, date=3 October 2015, url-status=live {{cite web, last1=Fitzgerald, first1=Meagan, title='Psychic' Accused of Swindling Maryland Woman Out of $82,000, url=https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Psychic-Swindles-Maryland-Woman-Out-of-82000-443812333.html, work=NBC, access-date=24 February 2018, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180210230625/https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Psychic-Swindles-Maryland-Woman-Out-of-82000-443812333.html, archive-date=10 February 2018, date=11 September 2017, url-status=live {{cite web, last1=George-Parkin, first1=Hilary, title=When Is Fortune-Telling a Crime?, url=https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/11/when-is-fortunetelling-a-crime/382738/, website=The Atlantic, access-date=24 February 2018, archive-url=https://archive.today/20141116141758/http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/11/when-is-fortunetelling-a-crime/382738/, archive-date=16 November 2014, date=14 November 2014, url-status=live {{cite web, last1=Sutherland, first1=Amber, last2=Rosenberg, first2=Rebecca, title=Phony psychic sent to jail for stealing $700K from lovelorn man, url=https://nypost.com/2015/11/17/phony-psychic-sent-to-jail-for-stealing-700k-from-lovelorn-man/, website=NY Post, access-date=24 February 2018, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224061712/https://nypost.com/2015/11/17/phony-psychic-sent-to-jail-for-stealing-700k-from-lovelorn-man/, archive-date=24 February 2018, date=17 November 2015, url-status=live {{cite web, last1=Leyva, first1=Ellen, last2=Bartley, first2=Lisa, title=ABC7 investigation: Self-proclaimed psychics bilk thousands from vulnerable clients, url=http://abc7.com/news/self-proclaimed-psychics-bilk-thousands-from-clients/1954924/, website=ABC News, access-date=24 February 2018, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224065440/http://abc7.com/news/self-proclaimed-psychics-bilk-thousands-from-clients/1954924/, archive-date=24 February 2018, date=4 May 2017, url-status=live {{cite web, last1=Tufft, first1=Ben, title=Fortune teller 'scams lovesick man out of $700,000', url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/man-pays-more-than-700000-to-fortuneteller-in-vain-attempt-to-secure-love-10303426.html, website=Independent, access-date=24 February 2018, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309205736/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/man-pays-more-than-700000-to-fortuneteller-in-vain-attempt-to-secure-love-10303426.html, archive-date=9 March 2016, date=7 June 2015, url-status=live {{cite web, last1=Baitinger, first1=Brooke, title='Psychic' who once defrauded South Floridians now faces charges in Washington state, url=http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/fl-pn-fortuneteller-fraud-arrest-20171031-story.html, website=Sun Sentinel, access-date=24 February 2018, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224173755/http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/fl-pn-fortuneteller-fraud-arrest-20171031-story.html, archive-date=24 February 2018, date=1 November 2017, url-status=live {{cite web, last1=Norman, first1=Bob, title=So-called psychic arrested at Miami International Airport on grand theft charge, url=https://www.local10.com/news/crime/so-called-psychic-arrested-at-miami-international-airport-on-grand-theft-charge, publisher=ABC Local 10, access-date=24 February 2018, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126040517/https://www.local10.com/news/crime/so-called-psychic-arrested-at-miami-international-airport-on-grand-theft-charge, archive-date=26 January 2018, date=1 September 2017, url-status=live {{cite news, last1=Powell, first1=Robert Andrew, title=The Psychic, The Novelist, and the $17 Million Scam, url=https://www.rd.com/culture/psychic-scams-novelist-17-million/, website=Reader's Digest, date=18 February 2014 , access-date=25 February 2018, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180225172412/https://www.rd.com/culture/psychic-scams-novelist-17-million/, archive-date=25 February 2018, url-status=live {{cite web , title=The Psychic Didn't See Him Coming , url=https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/pink-collar-crimes/episode-3-season-1/the-psychic-didnt-see-him-coming/1213292/ , website=TV Guide , access-date=11 August 2018 , url-status=live, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180811155716/https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/pink-collar-crimes/episode-3-season-1/the-psychic-didnt-see-him-coming/1213292/ , archive-date=2018-08-11 {{cite web , title=Pink Collar Crimes – The Tip Of The Iceberg , url=https://www.msn.com/en-ca/lifestyle/food/pink-collar-crimes-the-tip-of-the-iceberg/vp-BBLPyFW , website=MSN.com , publisher=MSN , access-date=12 August 2018 {{cite web , title=The Prevalence of Fake Psychics , url=https://www.doctoroz.com/episode/oz-investigates-it-time-eat-red-meat-again?video_id=5781298584001 , website=doctoroz.com , date=5 May 2018 , publisher=Oz Media LLC , access-date=15 December 2018 {{cite web , last1=Palmer , first1=Rob , title=Introducing Psychic-Busting Private Eye Bob Nygaard (Part 1) , url=https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/introducing-psychic-busting-private-eye-bob-nygaard-part-1/ , website=Skeptical Inquirer , date=15 August 2018 , publisher=Center for Inquiry , access-date=23 August 2018 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180823204858/https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/introducing_psychic-busting_private_eye_bob_nygaard_part_1 , archive-date=23 August 2018, url-status=live {{cite web , last1=Stone , first1=Shomari , last2=Cook , first2=Gina , title=Montgomery County 'Psychic' Sentenced to 6 Years for Scamming Clients , url=https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Maryland-Psychic-Sentenced-to-6-Years-for-Scamming-Clients-494014731.html , website=nbcwashington.com , publisher=NBC , access-date=25 September 2018, date=24 September 2018 {{cite news , last1=Morse , first1=Dan , title='Just outrageous:' Maryland psychic cons $341,000 from five clients , url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/just-outrageous-maryland-psychic-cons-340000-from-five-clients/2018/09/24/6effcc7c-be7c-11e8-be70-52bd11fe18af_story.html?noredirect=on , newspaper=Washington Post , access-date=25 September 2018 , date=24 September 2018 {{cite web , last1=Wilson , first1=Michael , title=Man Who Gave Psychics $718,000 'Just Got Sucked In' , url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/16/nyregion/lured-in-by-two-manhattan-psychics-to-the-tune-of-718000.html?action=click&module=inline&pgtype=Article , website=

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

, access-date=27 February 2019 , date=15 November 2015 {{cite web , last1=Banks , first1=Gabrielle , title='Psychic' gets federal prison time after swindling Houston woman of $1.6M , url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Psychic-gets-federal-prison-time-after-14425923.php , website=Houstonchronicle.com , publisher=Houston Chronicle , access-date=13 September 2019 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190912083117/https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Psychic-gets-federal-prison-time-after-14425923.php , archive-date=12 September 2019 , date=9 September 2019, url-status=live {{cite web , title=South Florida Woman Sentenced to Prison and Ordered to Pay $1.6 Million in Restitution for "Fortune Telling" Fraud Scheme , url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/south-florida-woman-sentenced-prison-and-ordered-pay-16-million-restitution-fortune , website=Justice.gov , publisher=US Dept. of Justice , access-date=13 September 2019 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190912083126/https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/south-florida-woman-sentenced-prison-and-ordered-pay-16-million-restitution-fortune , archive-date=12 September 2019 , date=9 September 2019, url-status=live {{cite web , last1=Burke , first1=Dave , title='Fortune teller' took £1.3m from depressed student to 'remove curse' from dead mum , url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/fortune-teller-who-took-13m-20010116 , website=Mirror.co.uk , publisher=The Mirror , url-status=live, access-date=13 September 2019 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190911214730/https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/fortune-teller-who-took-13m-20010116 , archive-date=11 September 2019 , date=11 September 2019 {{cite web , last1=Palmer , first1=Rob , title=A Psychic Fraud Investigator Weighs In On The Goop Lab , url=https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/a-psychic-fraud-investigator-weighs-in-on-the-goop-lab/ , website=skepticalinquirer.org , publisher=CFI , access-date=28 June 2020 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218014735/https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/a-psychic-fraud-investigator-weighs-in-on-the-goop-lab/ , archive-date=18 February 2020 , date=17 February 2020 , url-status=live {{cite web , title=The Latest Episode of "The Con" Looks at Psychics on March 17 , url=https://www.laughingplace.com/w/news/2021/03/12/the-latest-episode-of-the-con-looks-at-psychics-on-march-17/ , website=laughingplace.com , publisher=Laughing Place Disney Newsdesk , access-date=19 March 2021 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319054405/https://www.laughingplace.com/w/news/2021/03/12/the-latest-episode-of-the-con-looks-at-psychics-on-march-17/ , archive-date=19 March 2021 , date=12 March 2021 , url-status=live {{cite web , title=ABC: "The Psychic Con" Preview, March 17 2021 , url=https://www.discusspw.com/event/abc-psychic-con-preview-march-17-2021/ , website=discusspw.com , date=15 March 2021 , publisher=Discuss PW , access-date=19 March 2021 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319054529/https://www.discusspw.com/event/abc-psychic-con-preview-march-17-2021/ , archive-date=19 March 2021 , url-status=live {{cite web , title=The Con , url=https://www.dgepress.com/abc/shows/the-con/photos/ , website=dgepress.com , publisher=Disney General Entertainment , access-date=19 March 2021 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319062359/https://www.dgepress.com/abc/shows/the-con/photos/ , archive-date=19 March 2021 , url-status=live

External links

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Video of Bob Nygaard

About Me
entry for Nygaard {{Authority control {{DEFAULTSORT:Nygaard, Bob Living people American private investigators People from Queens, New York Southern Methodist University alumni People from Boca Raton, Florida New York City Police Department officers Year of birth missing (living people)