'90s TV Psychic 'Miss Cleo' Dead At 53 After Cancer Battle

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — An iconic 1990s TV psychic known to the world as "Miss Cleo" was reportedly dead Tuesday after losing her battle with cancer.

Youree Harris, 53, died this morning in Palm Beach County, Fla., a rep for Harris told TMZ.

Born in Los Angeles, Harris was best known for sporting a Jamaican accent for dozens of TV commercials that aired in the late '90s for a pay-per-call service offering free psychic readings.

Harris had been recently hospitalized but was discharged last week to a hospice center, according to reports.

Officials estimate in just three years, Harris' service billed $1 billion through 900 numbers and credit cards and collected roughly half that amount.

Promoters for two Harris-linked Florida corporations, Access Resource Services Inc. and Psychic Readers Network, were charged with deceptive advertising, billing and collection practices in 2002.

The companies later agreed to forgive $500 million in customer bills, return all uncashed checks to customers and pay a $5 million fine as part of a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission.

The FTC alleged that the defendants engaged in deceptive advertising, billing, and collection practices. The settlement also required the network to pay $5 million to the FTC.