A Nevada female utilized online dating websites to tempt primarily older guys into a “love fraud on steroids” that netted her numerous countless dollars and is connected to a minimum of one death, federal authorities stated on Friday.
Aurora Phelps, 43, of Las Vegas, is charged with wire scams, identity theft, and kidnapping leading to death to name a few offenses, according to a 21-count superseding indictment from 2023 that’s been exposed by the Justice Department.
Phelps, who likewise has a home in Guadalajara, Mexico, remains in custody because nation and waiting for extradition to the U.S.
” Our company believe Aurora Phelps intentionally and systematically targeted older guys to drug them and take from them,” FBI Las Vegas Field Workplace Unique Representative In Charge Spencer Evans stated Friday.
Phelps supposedly utilized prescription sedatives to damage her victims before making her relocation, authorities stated.
” As soon as she crippled her victims, Phelps took their vehicles, accessed their bank and brokerage accounts to withdraw money, utilized their charge card to make a range of purchases, consisting of high-end retail items and gold and even tried to access their Social Security and pension,” he included.
Authorities stated Phelps likewise supposedly liquidated countless dollars of stock from one victim and tried to take the earnings.
Throughout the supposed fraud, which lasted from July 2021 to December 2022, Phelps had the ability to take numerous countless dollars, and tried to take millions from her victims, authorities state.
In one circumstances, they stated Phelps supposedly abducted a victim, sedated him, and took him throughout the U.S.-Mexico border in a wheelchair to a Mexico City hotel space, where he was discovered dead hours later on.
In another case, a victim supposedly drugged by Phelps was left in a coma.
3 guys in overall related to Phelps’s supposed fraud have actually passed away, and she’s been charged in connection with among the deaths.
” Mrs. Phelps mostly targeted senior guys; nevertheless, she was understood to target any age groups in addition to ladies,” the FBI stated in a declaration.
The bureau shared pictures from the 43-year-old’s online dating profiles as part of a company site looking for more details as part of the examination into Phelps.
Authorities think there are more individuals in the U.S. and Mexico who either know about Phelps or were scammed themselves.
If founded guilty on all counts, Phelps might deal with life in jail.
It is uncertain when she will be extradited to the U.S. to deal with charges, or how she will plead.
Evans stated Phelps had actually been on the FBI’s radar for “a minimum of a couple years now,” which her arrest remained in partnership with Mexican authorities.
” The issue with dating online … is you simply do not understand who’s on the other end,” Evans informed press reporters Friday. “Our suggestions are to be mindful and attempt to acquire as much individual details as possible.”