Fakefluencer jailed: how 'spiritual Guru' Kat Torres scammed, trafficked her Instagram followers

Kat Torres, once a rising star on Instagram in the wellness community, has been sentenced to eight years in a Brazilian prison for human trafficking and enslavement, following an FBI investigation that uncovered harrowing details of her exploitation of vulnerable women.

Torres, known for her glamorous lifestyle and association with Hollywood elites like Leonardo DiCaprio, used her social media fame to lure followers into a web of manipulation and abuse. Promising spiritual guidance and life transformation, Torres convinced several women to join her, offering them opportunities that quickly turned into nightmares.

One victim, identified only as Ana, shared her ordeal with BBC, revealing that she moved to New York to work as Torres' live-in assistant, caring for her pets and maintaining her home. However, Ana described deplorable living conditions—sleeping on a couch covered in cat urine and being deprived of proper rest while catering to Torres' demands without pay.

Others, like Desirê and Letícia from Brazil, were coerced into moving to the United States under false pretenses, forced to work in strip clubs and subjected to psychological manipulation and threats by Torres. They were allegedly isolated, forbidden to communicate with each other, and had to seek permission even for basic needs like using the bathroom.

The investigation revealed that Torres imposed financial quotas on her victims, pressuring them into prostitution if they failed to meet her demands. These women were also allegedly subjected to rituals described as "witchcraft" by Torres, highlighting the extent of psychological control she exercised over them.

Torres' downfall came after concerned friends and family launched social media campaigns to find Desirê and Letícia, who had been reported missing. The ensuing FBI investigation exposed Torres' operation, leading to her arrest and the rescue of multiple women from her grip.

In her defense, Torres denied all accusations of coercion, claiming her activities were misunderstood. Despite her assertions, over twenty women have come forward with similar stories of exploitation and abuse, and are undergoing psychiatric treatment.

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