N.Y. woman convicted of attempting to kill look-alike with poisoned cheesecake, stealing identity
02/09/2023 1:56 pm PST
QUEENS, N.Y. (TCD) -- A 47-year-old woman was convicted of attempted murder and other charges after she reportedly poisoned her look-alike friend’s cheesecake, then stole her passport and other possessions.
In a statement, the Queens District Attorney’s Office announced a jury found Viktoria Nasyrova guilty of second-degree attempted murder, first-degree attempted assault, second-degree assault, first-degree unlawful imprisonment, and petit larceny for poisoning her friend.
On Aug. 26, 2016, Nasyrova reportedly went to the woman’s home in Forrest Hills with a cheesecake. The victim, who CBS New York identified as Olga Tsvyk, ate the dessert and began feeling sick. She went to lie down, and a different friend found Tsvyk unconscious in her bed the next day. The District Attorney’s Office said there were "pills scattered around her body — as if the woman had attempted to kill herself."
Tsvyk went to a hospital for treatment, but when she returned home, she noticed that her passport and employment authorization card were gone along with a gold ring and other valuable personal belongings.
Officials from the Department of Homeland Security tested the cheesecake and found it had traces of phenazepam, a "highly potent sedative."
According to the District Attorney’s Office, Nasyrova and Tsvyk looked similar, as they each had "dark hair, the same skin complexion, and other similar physical traits."
Both women also spoke Russian.
According to CBS New York, Nasyrova was wanted in Russia in connection with the death of a woman in 2014.
Nasyrova will be sentenced March 21 and faces up to 25 years in prison.
MORE:
TRUE CRIME DAILY: THE PODCAST covers high-profile and under-the-radar cases every week. Subscribe to our YouTube page for podcasts, exclusive videos, and more, and don’t forget to follow us on TikTok.