Romania\'s witches harness the powers of the net

A group of Romanian witches take part in an online consultation.

They're casting a spell to make sure a lost love returns.

It doesn't matter, they say, that this client is thousands of miles away in India.

With the power of the internet, Romania's witch community is migrating their ancient practice onto the web.

(SOUNDBITE) (ROMANIAN) CASSANDRA BUZEA, ROMANIAN WITCH, SAYING: "A truly powerful witch can solve problems from a distance even if they are physically here or are with us through a phone the clients are still here with us." Witchcraft has long been seen as a folk custom and many of Romania's estimated 4,000 witches are now casting spells over the net.

And making cauldrons full of cash - while a tarot reading starts at 55 dollars - many of the special rituals last weeks costing hundreds.

We met one coven on the outskirts of Bucharest.

They recently joined Romania's corruption protests against the government.

Streamed online they simultaneously teamed up with nine witches and wizards from across Europe to the U.S. to put a curse on corrupt lawmakers.

Perhaps a coincidence.... but a few lawmakers have been hospitalized since.

(SOUNDBITE) (ROMANIAN) MIHAELA MINCA, ROMANIAN WITCH, SAYING: "We will not stop here we will continue this ritual on the 25th of May we will do a powerful ritual against the Romanian government so on the 26th when the European elections are taking place we will cast our spell for the good of the country for prosperity, peace, for the well being of the people." These witches have a building project too, with plans to open the only school of magic in Europe.

But most days live streaming magic and casting spells via video chat keeps them busy.

Often to do with love, health or money.

(SOUNDBITE) (ROMANIAN) CASSANDRA BUZEA, ROMANIAN WITCH, SAYING: "It's not the phone or Facebook that are doing the magic it's the words that we're saying, the rituals that we're doing and it's enough to look each other in the eye for the ritual to work." (SOUNDBITE) (ROMANIAN) MIHAELA MINCA, ROMANIAN WITCH, SAYING: "Nothing's changed the craft is the same but now it's much easier for us to be in contact with clients from other countries."