Woman accused of poisoning look-alike with cheesecake
NEW YORK -- A Brooklyn woman is accused of poisoning her lookalike with cheesecake, then stealing the victim's identity and other property, CBS New York reports. Viktoria Nasyrova, 42, of Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, faces a slew of charges, including attempted murder.
"This is a bizarre and twisted crime that could have resulted in the death of a Queens woman, whose only fault was that she shared similar features with the defendant. Offering a gift of a cheesecake, the defendant is alleged to have laced the dessert with a Russian drug and presented it to the unsuspecting victim," Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said in a statement Wednesday. "Luckily, the Queens woman survived the poisoning. The defendant has been apprehended and now faces a long term of incarceration."
On Aug. 28, 2016, Nasyrova visited the Forest Hills home of a 35-year-old woman, bearing cheesecake, according to authorities.
She and the victim look alike -- both have dark hair, the same complexion and speak Russian.
After eating some of the cake, the woman started to feel sick and laid down. She allegedly remembered seeing Nasyrova sitting beside her before she passed out.
The next day, the woman's friend discovered her unconscious in bed, wearing lingerie and with pills scattered around her -- as if she had tried to kill herself, authorities said. She was taken to a hospital for treatment.
When she returned home, the woman realized her passport and employment authorization card were missing, along with a gold ring and cash.
Homeland Security agents tested leftovers pieces of the cheesecake and confirmed it was laced with phenazepam, authorities said. The pills tested positive for phenazepam, too.
Nasyrova was arrested in Brooklyn on March 20, 2017.
Police recovered the victim's passport, employment card and ring, authorities said.
Nasyrova is also accused of killing another woman in Russia and preying on men in New York. She faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted. She's next due in court May 25.