Dr. Mabuse is a doctor of psychology who moonlights as a criminal mastermind, manipulating people into cooperating with his schemes through hypnosis, blackmail and trickery. Mabuse's ability to hypnotize people seems to be telepathic in nature. He frequently uses this power to cause other people to play badly in card games, but his power over the minds of others is strong enough to make his enemies commit suicide. Later, he was able to see the ghosts of his victims. In addition to these abilities, he is a master of disguise and a clever schemer and manipulator, operating a grand network of operatives throughout Berlin. His lackeys include Spoerri, Georg, Petsch, Hawasch, Fine (a female lookout), and Cara Carozza, a Folies Bergère dancer is in love with Mabuse.