FBI: Woman Used Dating Apps to Drug, Rob, and Kill Older Men in “Sinister” Romance Scam
A 43-year-old woman, Aurora Phelps, allegedly lured at least four older men through online dating apps, drugged them with sedatives, and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars—a scheme FBI officials in Las Vegas described as "a romance scam on steroids."
Three of the men died, and Phelps has been charged in one of their deaths, authorities revealed Friday. She faces 21 counts, including wire fraud, identity theft, and kidnapping resulting in death.
Phelps, who is currently in custody in Mexico, is accused of targeting men between 2021 and 2022 using popular apps like Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble. She allegedly drugged victims, stole their assets, and even attempted to access their retirement accounts.
In a particularly chilling incident, authorities say Phelps sedated a man, wheeled him across the U.S.-Mexico border, and left him to die in a Mexico City hotel room.
One victim miraculously survived after falling into a coma for five days, FBI Special Agent Spencer Evans said. Another victim’s daughter alerted authorities when she couldn’t reach him after a date with Phelps—he was later found dead in his home.
Phelps allegedly stole victims' bank cards, sold stocks worth millions, purchased gold and luxury goods, and even took their cars. Though she successfully stole hundreds of thousands of dollars, she failed in an attempt to withdraw $3.3 million from one victim’s E-Trade account.
The FBI believes there may be more victims in the U.S. and Mexico and is urging others who may have fallen prey to Phelps’s schemes to come forward.
She is currently awaiting extradition to the United States, where she faces life in prison if convicted on all charges.
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