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What Is Youree Dell Harris Net Worth?
Youree Dell Harris, famously known as Miss Cleo, was the face of the Psychic Readers Network (PRN) in the 1990s. While her on-screen persona suggested a lavish lifestyle, the reality of her earnings was far more modest. Unlike the owners of the company who amassed millions, Youree Dell Harris’s financial gains were comparatively small.
Harris’s earnings for her work as Miss Cleo paled in comparison to the profits generated by the Psychic Readers Network. At its peak, the PRN raked in approximately $25 million per month, totaling $600 million over two years. The total revenue generated by the company allegedly reached $1 billion. Despite being the face of this lucrative enterprise, Harris earned less than $5,000 for her initial commercials. For the first set of commercials, which took two and a half days to shoot, she was paid just $1,750. Even when she provided actual psychic readings, she only earned 24 cents per minute, compared to the 14 cents earned by other readers.
Miss Cleo’s Limited Financial Stake
Despite her prominent role in the commercials, Youree Dell Harris did not have any ownership stake in the Psychic Readers Network. Federal prosecutors initially assumed she was a part-owner, given that the brand was synonymous with her persona. However, it was revealed that she was simply a paid actress. The real beneficiaries of the PRN’s success were Steven L. Feder and Peter Stolz, cousins from New Jersey who owned the Fort Lauderdale LLC that controlled the company’s assets. Feder, in particular, lived a lavish lifestyle, residing in a multi-million dollar waterfront mansion, owning a fleet of exotic cars, and a 40-foot luxury yacht. In 1997, at his birthday party, Feder was reportedly “dripping in diamonds” while Gladys Knight performed a private concert. These details are gleaned from investigations into the company’s operations following numerous consumer complaints.
The “psychics” employed by the PRN earned a meager 14 cents per minute, and were required to keep callers on the line for at least 19 minutes to receive any compensation. The average 20-minute call translated to just $2.80 for the psychic. Those individuals who were struggling were only paid 5.60 per hour. Harris, when she provided actual psychic readings, she earned 24 cents per minute.
Psychic Readers Network Business Model
The Psychic Readers Network operated on a business model that heavily relied on upselling and lead generation. According to an FBI investigation, when someone called in, the “psychic” would first gather their name, home address, email address, and home phone number. The psychic would then attempt to sell the caller a $9.95 monthly membership. If the caller resisted, the psychic would offer a free set of tarot cards, 15 minutes of free readings, and a personalized astrology chart. This back-and-forth process often took 10-15 minutes, and even if the caller eventually hung up, their information was immediately sold to a lead generation company, resulting in spam phone calls, junk mail, and other unsolicited offers. The PRN employed 1,000 “readers” across the nation, operating 24 hours a day, with advertisements explicitly stating “No psychic experience necessary”.
Legal Battles and Settlement
The Psychic Readers Network faced legal action from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) due to deceptive practices and numerous consumer complaints. The FTC filed lawsuits against the PRN in at least 10 different U.S. states, targeting Youree Dell Harris, Steven L. Feder, and Peter Stolz. However, Harris was later removed from the lawsuit after it was discovered that she was merely a paid actress without any ownership stake in the company. In October 2002, Stolz and Feder entered a “no contest” plea to settle charges brought against them in the state of Missouri. They agreed to pay a $50,000 fine and forgo collecting $500 million in outstanding charges. They were allowed to retain the $500 million they had already collected.
When the FTC filed their lawsuit, the Psychic Readers Network was in the process of attempting to collect $500 million worth outstanding charges.
Youree Dell Harris After Miss Cleo
After her stint as Miss Cleo, Youree Dell Harris continued to work as a psychic. In an interview with Vice.com, she spoke with a pronounced Jamaican accent, despite being born in Los Angeles and having attended an expensive private boarding school. Harris admitted that Peter Stolz and Steven L. Feder created the Miss Cleo character and encouraged her to adopt a Jamaican accent. The whereabouts of Stolz and Feder since the lawsuits remain largely unknown, with no significant news reports about them in the last decade. It is assumed that they are living discreetly, enjoying the wealth they accumulated during their time with the Psychic Readers Network.
Youree spoke with a Jamaican accent! A stronger Jamaican accent than she had back in the 90s. She admitted that Peter Stolz and Steven L. Feder were the ones who actually invented the Miss Cleo character and urged her to make the voice sound “fresh off the island”.
