A Las Vegas woman with ties to Mexico is at the center of a sweeping romance-scam probe that investigators say mixed sedatives, stolen money and, in some cases, death. Aurora Phelps is accused of targeting older men she met on dating apps, gaining access to their finances and property, and in some instances leaving them incapacitated or dead. She is currently jailed in Mexico and faces criminal cases on both sides of the border.
Federal prosecutors in Las Vegas have unsealed a 21-count superseding indictment that charges Phelps with seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud, six counts of bank fraud, three counts of identity theft, one count of kidnapping and one count of kidnapping resulting in death, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada. The FBI’s Las Vegas Division has also posted a questionnaire and is urging anyone who thinks they or a loved one might be a victim to fill it out so agents can identify additional cases and losses, per the FBI.
The FBI bulletin and investigator interviews paint Phelps as a fast-talking, bilingual charmer who used dating apps to strike up relationships with men in their 60s and 70s, sometimes knocking them out with sedatives, and the agency is now reviewing multiple suspicious deaths tied to those contacts, according to The Los Angeles Times. The outlet also reports that Mexican authorities have filed local charges and that Mexico’s government has signed off on a request to extradite her to the United States for prosecution, after reviewing court records and the FBI bulletin.
Authorities and local coverage outline several violent, cross-border episodes now under the microscope. According to reporting by CBS News, the indictment alleges one victim was drugged so heavily he had to be pushed across the U.S.-Mexico border in a wheelchair and was later found dead in a Mexico City hotel room. Another man was reportedly kept sedated for days and woke up from a coma. Investigators say the pattern also features stolen vehicles and repeated withdrawals from victims’ bank accounts.
Indictment lays out alleged thefts
Court documents filed with the superseding indictment describe some eye-popping financial moves. Prosecutors say Phelps accessed one victim’s E-Trade account and sold Apple stock worth about $3.3 million, although she was unable to pull out the proceeds, according to the superseding indictment. In a separate case, investigators allege she drained roughly $50,500 from two accounts belonging to a man she dated in Guadalajara, a scenario detailed by The Los Angeles Times, which reviewed bank records and surveillance footage.
Arrest and Mexican proceedings
According to U.S. and Mexican officials, Phelps was arrested in Mexico in 2023 and has remained in custody there while prosecutors in both countries pursue their respective charges and work through the extradition process, as reflected in local reporting. Multiple agencies are coordinating with Mexican authorities as the case advances, The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.
How to report if you were affected
The FBI’s Las Vegas Division has created an online questionnaire for people who suspect they or a family member might have been targeted, and agents say those responses could help them map out additional victims and financial losses. The form and instructions are posted by the FBI. Older adults and families looking for support with financial exploitation can also turn to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime and the National Elder Fraud Hotline.
What happens next
If Mexican officials hand over custody, Nevada prosecutors say the federal case could move toward an arraignment and, eventually, trial. Federal authorities note that convictions on all counts could result in life in prison. CBS News outlines the federal charges and the potential penalties as described by prosecutors.
