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Psychic surgery is particularly popular in the Philippines and Brazil. It is a procedure that usually involves the creation of an incision using bare hands or in some cases kitchen utensils, the remove of pathological matter and the immediate healing of the incision. In many countries it is considered medical fraud. Psychic surgeons claim to heal a wide variety of diseases, including AIDS, different types of cancers, tumors, blindness and depression. Here are 5 famous and controversial psychic surgeons that attract many followers.(WARNING: Psychic surgery is regarded as a hoax by the medical community and no proof of it's effectiveness has ever been given. If you suffer from any disease please consult your physician or other licensed medical professional to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent it.)

Eleuterio Terte

Coined as the "Father of faith healing", Eleuterio Terte brought attention to psychic surgery in the 1940s. He performed surgeries routinely, and with his pupil Tony Agpaoa trained others in this procedure. Terte became known in the U.S. in the late 50s after reporters Ron Ormond and Ormond McGill described his practices in their book „Into the Strange Unknown".

Jun Labo

Jun Labo is probably best known for having “treated” comedian Andy Kaufman. Kaufman was diagnosed with large cell carcinoma, a rare form of lung cancer, and traveled to the Philippines in March 1984 for a six-week course of psychic surgery. Labo claimed to have removed large cancerous tumors. Kaufman died from renal failure, a consequence of a metastatic lung cancer on May 16 1984.

Ze Arigo

Brazilian Ze Arigo, born Jose Pedro de Freitas became well known in his native country after having allegedly removed a tumor from the lung of a Brazilian senator. Arrested for illegally practicing medicine in 1956, he received a 15 months sentence but was pardoned by the president for having cured his daughter. Arrested again in 1962, he served 7 months, but was allowed to treat people while in jail.

Joao de Deus

Joao Teixeira de Faria, better known as Joao de Deus (John of God) claims to perform visible and invisible operations. He works with a team of 30 “spirit doctors” and daily thousands of people visit his center Casa de Dom Inacio de Loyola in the small Goias town Abadiania, southwest Brazil. The sessions are free of charge, but a concoction of herbs is always prescribed, usually 3-6 bottles, at the price of 10 Brazilian Reais (5.85 dollars) per bottle.

Alex Orbito

Alex Orbito is better known in the U. S. through his association with actress Shirley MacLaine who described his procedures in her book, “Going Within: A Guide for Inner Transformation”. He conducts “International Healing Seminars and Gatherings” in the Pyramid of Asia Spiritual Healing Center in Cabanbanan, Manaoag Philippines. On June 14, 2005, Canadian authorities indicted him for fraud, but the case was dismissed in January 2006.

BONUS:

The Spirit of Dr. Adolf Fritz

Dr. Fritz supposedly was a German doctor whose spirit was channeled by many Brazilian psychic surgeons. The first to have channeled Dr. Fritz was Ze Arigo in the 50s, followed by brothers Oscar and Edivaldo Wilde who claimed the spirit after Arigo’s death. After the brothers death Edson Queiroz claimed the spirit, who now visits Rubens Farias Jr.
Arigo claimed Dr. Fritz was born in Munich but moved to Poland when he was four because of his father's asthma. One year before his graduation a general came into his office with his daughter, but Fritz couldn't save her so the general arrested him for her murder. Tortured in jail, he escaped and fled to Estonia where he lived until his death in 1918. No record has been found of Dr. Fritz and followers of Arigo claim the spirit probably faked his story and accent to preserve his identity.
Both Arigo and the Wilde brothers died in violent car crashes. Queiroz also had a violent death: he was stabbed multiple times. Rubens Farias Jr. claims Dr. Fritz warned him about his own violent death.