Brazilian authorities have apprehended a 22-year-old escort accused of drugging and robbing tourists, including multiple foreign visitors. The arrest of Cláudio Rafael Silva de Queiroz de Pontes was confirmed by police officers from the Special Tourist Support Police Station (DEAT) and Ipanema’s 13th Precinct in Rio de Janeiro.
Cláudio, who allegedly pretended to be a male escort, was wanted for robbery and criminal association. He was captured in Cabo Frio, a coastal town in Rio’s Lakes Region. Authorities stated that Cláudio was part of a group that targeted tourists, particularly homosexual men, by using dating apps to entice victims to meet at beaches or bars.
The victims were reportedly drugged with spiked drinks before the group stole their money, phones, and other valuables, sometimes depleting their bank accounts through transfers and withdrawals. Three alleged accomplices, comprising two men and one woman, are currently evading capture.
In one incident from May, a Mexican tourist encountered Cláudio through a dating app and met at Ipanema Beach, where he lost consciousness after consuming drinks. Good Samaritans later found him disoriented and took him to a police station. Subsequent incidents involved an Italian man losing a significant amount of money after being drugged in June, and two Chilean tourists falling victim to a similar scam in August.
Another case under investigation revealed a man from Pernambuco losing belongings and a substantial sum of money after socializing with one of the gang members at a hotel. Detective Patrícia Alemany of DEAT mentioned that the gang deliberately targeted wealthy individuals, often foreigners or older men.
Ongoing searches are in progress to apprehend the remaining suspects. Cláudio is detained at the José Frederico Marques Public Prison and is scheduled for a custody hearing. Details of his statement have not been disclosed, and his legal representatives have not been reachable by local journalists.
