What Happened to Miss Cleo? Why Did the Famed Infomercial Physic Disappeared from the Public Eye?

Today, you can use various apps with different astrological services if you want to take a peek into your future. But not too long ago, people had to call a psychic hotline to get a glimpse into their future. If you were around in the 90s, you’ll likely remember the infamous Miss Cleo.

Miss Cleo was a popular tarot card reader in the 90s who appeared in countless infomercials promoting the Psychic Readers Network. In fact, she dominated the psychic scene for years. However, after some time, she disappeared from the public eye. So, what happened to her? Here is some information about the life of Miss Cleo for those curious to know what happened to her after she disappeared from the public eye.

Who was Miss Cleo?

Youree Dell Harris, most popularly known as Miss Cleo, was a television personality. She was the spokeswoman of a popular psychic hotline in the late 1990s. Eventually, the commercials faded; however, her iconic character remained an object of people’s curiosity. To be specific, countless people searched for information about her life before the Psychic Readers Network to know if her abilities were real.

The Psychic Readers Network

A large chunk of Miss Cleo’s story is centered on the Psychic Readers Network. After all, her popularity began when she entered this network. From there, she appeared as an infomercial psychic, claiming to be from Jamaica. Many of you probably remember her famous catchphrase, “Call me now!” and if you know it, you can likely hear her voice saying that phrase.

Armed with a deck of tarot cards, she provided counsel to numerous callers. Most of the commercials had a cheating-lover theme to lure people in. After a few years, Miss Cleo became a star, and her character inspired countless late-night television spoofs. She also had other business offers, like a book entitled “Keepin’ It Real: A Practical Guide for Spiritual Living.”

A Complaint Against The Psychic Readers Network

In 2001, the Psychic Readers Network was sued in numerous lawsuits by the Federal Communications Commission and various states. In 2002, the company’s owners and promoters were charged by the Federal Trade Commission with “deceptive advertising, billing, and collection practices.”

Afterwards, an estimated amount of $1 billion was billed by the network to its victims. Additionally, Miss Cleo’s promoters agreed to settle by paying $5 million to the Federal Trade Commission and erasing their victims’ debt of about $500 million. Miss Cleo was not charged or indicted. In fact, she, herself, had known issues with the Psychic Readers Network utilizing her image to make a ton of money.

Controversies

Although she wasn’t indicted, several pieces of information emerged during the lawsuits. For one, data revealed that Miss Cleo was born in the U.S (Los Angeles) to American parents.

Aside from that, The Seattle Post-Intelligence also published a report revealing that she had numerous aliases, such as Youree Perris and Cleomili Harris. Additionally. There was also a long list of her former colleagues claiming that the famous psychic owed them money. So, needless to say, Miss Cleo’s story and legacy was surrounded by scandals and controversies.

Miss Cleo’s Final Years

The life story of Miss Cleo ended on July 26, 2016, in a hospice. According to her lawyer, the cause of her death was cancer. Throughout her illness, Miss Cleo was “a pillar of strength” and passed away surrounded by her family and close friends.