Yikes! Roommates, here’s a story of how NOT to up your coins–unless an FBI investigation is the goal. Agents in Las Vegas recently announced the arrest of a woman they say was drugging, kidnapping, and robbing older men. Aurora Phelps allegedly used online dating apps to steal hundreds of thousands from at least four suitors!
More Details About Aurora’s Older Men Love Scheme
More details about the case became apparent after the FBI held a press conference. Police in Mexico reportedly have Aurora Phelps in custody, but details are pending about extradition to the U.S. Spencer Evans is the special agent leading Las Vegas’ FBI division. Evans called the 43-year-old’s scheme a “romance scam on steroids.”
So what exactly did Aurora do? Well, the FBI is accusing her of incapacitating her victims, then taking their credit cards on shopping sprees for gold and other luxury goodies. Phelps also stole property like cars and iPads and withdrew money from their accounts. In other cases, the 43-year-old dug deep into the older men’s pockets by trying to access retirement and social security funds! She was also reportedly successful at stealing and selling about $3.3 million of a man’s Apple stock. However, she couldn’t access the sale coins.
How’d she do this? As mentioned, Aurora had active accounts on apps like Hinge, Bumble, and Tinder. After a couple of lunch dates with the older men, Aurora Phelps started her sedative routine, slipping the drugs into food in at least one instance.
One of her victims ended up in a temporary coma after she spent a week straight sedating the older guy with prescription pills. Another victim died after she sedated him, kidnapped him across the U.S. border into Mexico, and took him to a hotel room in Mexico City. He was found dead there. A third man was also found dead, but he was in his bathroom in his home. Meanwhile, the alleged scammer had used the deceased money to buy a gold coin and make other purchases.
What Happens Next?
The U.S. District Attorney of Nevada, Sue Fahami, said at a conference that Aurora Phelps is facing 21 charges related to her scheme on the older men. Her charges include seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of identity theft, and at least one count of kidnapping leading to death. If convicted on all charges, her maximum sentence will likely be life in prison, per Fahami.
Special agent Evans revealed that she may have additional victims in the U.S. and Mexico. The case is still being investigated.
