A Russian woman living in Brooklyn who allegedly tried to kill a friend who looked like her by feeding her cheesecake laced with a deadly poison so he could steal her identity has appeared in court in New York.
According to the investigation, Viktoria Nasyrova tried to kill Olga Tsvyk because "she was desperate not to return to Russia". "This woman concocted a cold and well-calculated plan to isolate Olga Tsyvk and poison her in an attempt to kill her and take her identity along with other valuables," said the assistant prosecutor in the case. "She wanted her own identity."
Olga Tsvyk, who is from Ukraine, was the "perfect target" for Viktoria because she had no family in the US. Olga, an esthetician who did eyelashes, met Viktoria at the salon where she worked in 2016. Viktoria became her client and they had a good relationship.
In August 2016, Viktoria called Olga saying that she had an urgent problem with her eyelashes and needed to stop by her house to have them fixed. "I want to bring you a cheesecake from a famous bakery," she told the beautician.
The cake was laced with phenazepam - a powerful sedative produced in Russia. Prosecutors said Viktoria stole almost $4,000, a red purse, a ring, as well as Olga's Ukrainian passport and employment authorization card issued by authorities in the US. She allegedly then staged the crime scene to look like a suicide. Olga was found in serious condition, but survived.
Viktoria is also wanted in Russia for the 2014 murder of her 54-year-old neighbor Alla Aleksenko, who was found burned to death but identified through dental records. In addition, investigators say she targeted men through various apps and then drugged and robbed them.
The decision on her sentence will be given on March 21. Viktoria Nasyrova risks up to 25 years in prison.
