Russian woman poisons American look-alike, creates fake suicide attempt
A Russian woman in New York was charged with poisoning a look-alike with tranquilizer-laced cheesecake. She stole her passport and other property and made it look like a suicide attempt. "This is a bizarre and twisted crime that could have resulted in the death of a Queens woman, whose...fault was that she shared similar features with the defendant," said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.
What exactly did the Russian woman do?
The 42-year-old suspect, Brooklyn's Viktoria Nasyrova, was arraigned on attempted murder, burglary, assault and other charges after being arrested in Mar'17. Nasyrova had denied forcing the woman to eat the cheesecake. In Aug'16, Nasyrova visited the 35-year-old victim's home in Queens' Forest Hills area, bearing a gift of a cheesecake, said Brown, adding both women have dark hair, same skin complexion, and speak Russian.
Nasyrova tried to make it look like a suicide attempt
Richard Brown said, "The woman (victim) ate the cheesecake, fell ill, and laid down." "Before passing out, the woman's last memory is of seeing the defendant sitting beside her inside her home," he added. The following day, a friend found the victim unconscious in her bed, "dressed in lingerie with pills scattered around her...as if the woman had attempted to kill herself," Brown said.
Victim's passport, cash, other property stolen
Later, the victim was treated at a hospital and when she returned home she realized that her passport and employment authorization card were missing along with a gold ring and cash. Law enforcement agents with the Department of Homeland Security tested the cheesecake and confirmed it was laced with the Russian tranquilizer Phenazepan. The pills contained the same drug as well, Brown said
Russian woman faces 25-year imprisonment
Nasyrova is also accused of drugging and killing a woman in her native country before fleeing to New York. She denied those charges in an interview. Nasyrova faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted. She's next due in court May 25.
