Vegas vixen drugged, robbed men in deadly 3-year romance scam: FBI

Federal authorities have apprehended a notorious scam artist, Aurora Phelps, who had been on the run in Mexico after a string of crimes in Las Vegas. Phelps, 43, is accused of targeting elderly men through dating apps, seducing them, drugging them, and then robbing them of their identities and finances over a period of three years. Her scamming spree reportedly led to the deaths of three of her victims, with one of those deaths resulting in a kidnapping charge for Phelps.

FBI Special Agent Spencer Evans described Phelps’ actions as a “romance scam on steroids,” highlighting her deliberate targeting of older men to drug and steal from them. In addition to elderly men, Phelps also preyed on younger individuals and even women, using aliases such as “Flores,” “Velasco,” and “Alvarez” to carry out her schemes.

Phelps faces a total of 21 charges, including wire fraud, identity theft, and the aforementioned kidnapping resulting in death. She would incapacitate her victims with sedatives, steal their cars, access their financial accounts, make purchases with their credit cards, and even attempt to access their Social Security and retirement accounts.

One victim managed to survive after falling into a coma due to the prescription sedatives administered by Phelps. Her Tinder profile, under the name “Sisy,” advertised her desire for genuine connections, but her true intentions were far from sincere. Despite fleeing to Mexico, Phelps was apprehended by Mexican authorities and is currently awaiting extradition back to the US.

Authorities suspect that there may be more victims of Phelps’ scams yet to come forward, and the FBI has issued a call for anyone who may have been targeted by her to reach out. The agency has released photos of Phelps on their website in an effort to further identify her victims and bring closure to those affected by her crimes. The saga of Aurora Phelps serves as a cautionary tale of the dangers of online scams and the importance of remaining vigilant in the digital age.