Celebrity private detective granted 'power of attorney' over woman who believes she is Madeleine McCann

3 April 2023, 09:34 | Updated: 6 April 2023, 12:22

Dr Fia Johansson (l) handed power of attorney over Julia Wendell (r) who has claimed she believes she is Madeleine McCann (inset)
Dr Fia Johansson (l) handed power of attorney over Julia Wendell (r) who has claimed she believes she is Madeleine McCann (inset). Picture: social media/alamy

By StephenRigley

Celebrity psychic and private detective Dr Fia Johansson has been granted power of attorney over the woman who believes she is Madeleine McCann.

Dr Johansson has been helping Julia Wendell since the 21-year-old Pole went viral by claiming she was the toddler who went missing on a family holiday to Portugal in 2007.

Writing on her Instagram stories, she hailed the announcement as 'good news for fans and followers' but 'bad news for people who can't use Julia anymore'.

She said: “Today I got Julia’s power of attorney. I legally and officially can decide Julia’s living and her health and welfare.”

She then continued: “Good news for Julia’s fans and followers. Bad news for people who can’t use her anymore.”

Julia Wendell with Dr Fia Johansson ahead of an interview on US talk show Dr Phil
Julia Wendell with Dr Fia Johansson ahead of an interview on US talk show Dr Phil. Picture: social media
Dr Fia Johansson announcing she has power of attorney for Julia Wendell
Dr Fia Johansson announcing she has power of attorney for Julia Wendell. Picture: social media

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Over the weekend in a string of Instagram live posts, Dr Johansson claimed people have been trying to scam Julia and police were investigating the claims.

Currently Julia is waiting for the results of DNA tests which it is hoped will solve the mystery of whether she is Madeleine. Facial recognition analysis said it was almost impossible that the two people are the same.

Her Polish parents remain adamant that Julia is their biological child.

Julia Wendell who believes she is Madeleine McCann
Julia Wendell who believes she is Madeleine McCann. Picture: social media
Madeleine McCann who vanished in 2007
Madeleine McCann who vanished in 2007. Picture: Alamy

Read More: Woman who claims to be Madeleine McCann says all she wants to do is 'help people who have experienced trauma'

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In a statement read out during a high-profile interview on US talk show Dr Phil they said: "For us as a family it is obvious that Julia is our daughter, granddaughters, sister, niece, cousin and step niece.

"Threats to our address from Julia, her lies and manipulations, activity on the internet. The interest won’t forget, and it’s obvious that Julia isn’t Maddie. We are devastated at this current situation."

Julia told Dr Phil that if the tests prove that her parents are correct she doesn't want anything to do with her biological mother.

Yesterday Dr Johansson shared her “gut feeling” with a TikTok influencer.

Confirming that the DNA results will be back on April 13, Dr Johansson said Julia was both “loving” and “hating” the verdict.

She said: “I am sure Julia’s mother is her mother because I found something out about her and Julia through the investigation.”

In the interview with Dr Phil, Julia said she 'believes she is Madeleine McCann' and denied stealing birth certificate and photos from her family.

Since airing her claims on social media earlier this year, Julia has tried to prove her case by pointing out physical similarities between herself and Madeleine — including a brown smudge that appears on each girl’s right eye.

But facial recognition software said it was '90% certain' that Julia was not Madeleine.

.Asked what she would do if the results prove she isn’t Madeleine, Julia said she wouldn’t want any contact with her Polish family.“If she is my mother, I don’t want to have contact with her that’s all, but I believe she isn’t my mother,” she said.

Madeleine vanished on a family holiday to Portugal in 2007 aged three.

Scotland Yard cops investigating what happened are set to be given another £300,000 to keep the case going.

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