Related video above: More information about "romance scams" and how to protect yourself. Aurora Phelps, 43, who is in custody in Mexico, faces 21 counts including wire fraud, identity theft and one count of kidnapping resulting in death, Sue Fahami, the acting United States attorney for the District of Nevada, said at a news conference. One of the four victims, who were targeted in and , awoke from a coma after Phelps gave him prescription sedatives over the course of a week, Evans added. In one instance Phelps is alleged to have kidnapped a victim by heavily sedating him and taking him across the U.
After incapacitating her victims, Evans said, Phelps stole their cars, withdrew money from their bank accounts, used their credit cards to purchase luxury items and gold and even tried to access social security and retirement accounts. According to the indictment, Phelps met one man in July , went on lunch dates with him and that November ordered lunch to his house and slipped him a prescription drug.
Authorities believe Phelps used popular dating apps including Tinder, Hinge and Bumble to find her targets. The men were lonely and looking for companionship and went on multiple dates with Phelps before she stealthily gave them sedatives, according to Evans. Phelps, a dual citizen of Mexico and the U.
He declined to comment on her criminal history. Phelps does not have a U. Several of the victims' relatives called authorities when they were unable to contact their loved ones, Evans said.
One woman was unable to reach her father the day after he went on a date with Phelps in Guadalajara, Mexico, in May , according to court records. The next day Mexican police found him dead on the bathroom floor of his home. Phelps then used an account belonging to the victim to purchase a gold coin, along with other transactions, the indictment alleges. The FBI is aware of more alleged victims in the U. Investigators said that an FBI website has been created to identify potential victims.
