03.05.06
Giambi’s Rubber Check Writing Guru
Even Glenn Hoddle is laughing at this. From the New York Daily News’ Christian Red and Michael O’Keefe (link taken from Repoz and Baseball Think Factory).
Azra Shafi-Scagliarini is a psychic to the stars, a spiritual adviser to some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment, a “consultant” whose client list has included Britney Spears, Mark McGwire, New Kids on the Block and Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, and Giambi to name a few. She resists being described in mystical terms, says she simply helps her clients untap their true potential. “I consult with people on how to better their lives and their careers,” she says.
“With Jason, he never, ever tried to defer attention from himself or throw anyone else under the bus,” Shafi-Scagliarini says. “People always talk about people shifting blame, but he was the first person who stood up for everyone else and took the bullet.”
Despite her A-list clientele, the 41-year-old Shafi-Scagliarini says she is basically a suburban New Jersey mother whose typical day revolves around caring for her 7-year-old son Adam. She professes to know little about baseball. Last week she baked crumb cakes (using a recipe she says she got from the late Luther Vandross) and highlighted copies of Richard Bach’s “Illusions” to send to the Mets, Yankees and Orioles spring training camps
Ballplayers who are looking for the keys to the universe should look elsewhere: Shafi-Scagliarini says she’s no conduit to the cosmos. But she often has “feelings” about people that randomly come to her. During the middle of a conversation, she’ll unexpectedly tell someone they are going to have a baby or take a trip to a far-away land. In 1999, she advised Oakland’s Tony Phillips to sit out a game in Toronto, a warning players still talk about. He ignored her advice and broke his leg, ending his career.
Bergen County prosecutor Pia Perez says Shafi-Scagliarini wrote 80 bad checks totaling $96,000 to New Jersey banks and businesses over a two-year period ending in 2005. Perez says Shafi-Scagliarini has repaid the entire sum and has fulfilled the conditions of her probation, making restitution to her victims through a fund run by the state of New Jersey.
Shafi-Scagliarini says her legal problems were caused by a former business manager, and that she has emerged a stronger person as a result. She says she never ran to any of her famous clients to bail her out financially – she raised the money by selling her home and other assets. She’s even become friendly with the Fort Lee detective who investigated her case and the judge who sentenced her.
“I did it by myself, and that was such an empowering feeling,” she says. “I’m living proof to my clients that you can find courage and strength when you need it.”
How do I contact her?
I would like to contact her also. She is nothing more then a con artist. She swears that she will pay you back when she borrows money, but she never does. I find it hard too believe that she paid back 96,000 on her own. I wonder what bank she robbed! I hope that I can find her so I can express my feelings in person!
Azra never takes claim to being anyone but who she is… Not perfect, not all knowing…. NO ONE IS… She remains a human being in spite of the praise and responsibility accredited to her…
Any person who feels they must pass judgement (right or wrong), should examine their motives….
I agree with Bobby…she is a liar and con artist. At one time I would of said that she was my friend…she swindled me out of over $20,000 and has yet to pay me back. I know of other former “friends” that she did the same thing too. It’s been over three years and she has still not paid me back a cent!! Everyday she has another made up reason as to when the money is coming or that she sent a check but it never seems to arrive at my home. My next course it to bring it to court like her other victims did…maybe she’ll land in jail this time. Who does she think she is living the life of royalty off of the money she has stolen from her friends!
And by the way…New Kids on the Block (NKOTB) were NEVER clients of hers…just another lie!
Bobby, I have her address and number if you want it!
To Dani L.,
All I want to say to you is watch your checkbook girl. I am one of the many victims of her lies and rubber checks. Of course she never takes money from her rich, famous friends, only us who truly befriend her through thick and thin, as I did and then get burned. Wondering if I know you Bobby R.
YEs Sharon, I would love her address and number if you have it. You can add me to the list of “geniuses” that believed she would pay me back. The only thing I ever got was a bunch of empty promises and new numbers to contact her. As for Dani’s comments all I can say is that you were very lucky that you were not swindled or lied to like the rest of us. Maybe if you had been you would be feeling a bit different. Maybe you can contact Sharon and she can give you her number and you can loan her some money so that she can pay us poor folks back and you will be able to feel what we are feeling. I would love to chat with you and give you a detailed financial summary of my misery and what I had to do to correct my credit. Not too funny or sympathetic when it happens too you. My suggestion to you Dani is to back off or join the crowd and see how it feels to be lied to and taken advantage of!
Dear Deb D, Not too sure if I had the pleasure of meeting you. I live in New York and that is where I had the great misfortune of meeting her about 8 to 10 years ago. Let me know if you were or are here in New York so that we can compare notes and maybe join forces against her. Thanks!