In doing a little research today, I noticed that the Wikipedia pages for Charles Richet and Cesare Lombroso both include the same claim: that each man had a sexual affair with medium Eusapia Palladino. The source of this claim, in both cases, is the book The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero, a sensationalistic volume that also claims Houdini's death was actually a murder plot organized by spiritualists under the direction of Arthur Conan Doyle!
As far as I know, there is no evidence whatsoever that Richet, Lombroso, or any other investigator was romantically involved with Palladino. It is true that Palladino flirted with some of the researchers, but by all accounts her flirtations were not reciprocated. In fact, she seems to have been viewed as rather repulsive by the men who tested her. They mentioned her coarse peasant behavior, her vulgarity and crudeness, her slovenly dress, and, if I recall correctly, her pungent body odor.
Palladino was certainly no Gina Lollobrigida. Here she is:
Is this the face that launched a thousand mediumships?
It seems unlikely to me that Palladino inspired amorous thoughts in the men who worked with her. But then, I don't buy the idea that Arthur Conan Doyle led a conspiracy to murder Houdini, either.
I guess I'm just not "skeptical" enough …