This communicative was primitively posted connected June 3, 2023.
In his 20-year profession arsenic a New York constabulary detective, Kevin Rodgers says he ne'er met nan likes of Viktoria Nasyrova.
Det. Kevin Rodgers: She is simply a very colorful criminal …
Det. Kevin Rodgers: Extremely brazen. Diabolical.
A female is poisoned pinch a portion of cheesecake. Her lookalike is convicted of attempted murder.
13 photos
Even nan thoroughfare smarts of a profession bull near him unprepared for what he says she did.
Kevin Rodgers: I've ne'er dealt pinch a lawsuit wherever cheesecake that's laced pinch poison is utilized …
It started connected Sept. 2, 2016, pinch what seemed for illustration a regular call.
Det. Kevin Rodgers: It was a telephone from patrol stating that we person a — a female … advising that location are items missing from her bedroom.
The female was a beauty stylist named Olga Tsvyk, who did eyelash extensions astatine a adjacent salon. Patrol officers told Rodgers she'd reported items, including purses, had vanished from her home.
Det. Kevin Rodgers: I drawback my partner … and we headed retired to this, uh, woman's house.
She told Rodgers she had conscionable returned location from nan hospital, wherever she said she'd been successful and retired of consciousness pinch terrible dizziness and nausea.
When he sewage to nan scene, Olga, a Ukrainian immigrant, still seemed a spot woozy.
Peter Van Sant: Can you retrieve astatine each … nan constabulary asking you questions?
Olga Tsvyk: (Sighs) No, I don't remember.
She says nan only point she remembered was that a frantic customer from nan salon had travel to her location — a Russian female named Viktoria Nasyrova, who had wanted her eyelashes extended successful a hurry.
Det. Kevin Rodgers:" I request an emergency eyelash repair done. Please, please, please." … Olga said, "I ne'er person done that earlier … each spot of activity I do is successful my salon."
Olga had told her customer she had nary appointments available. But she says Viktoria was successful nan wont of being pushy – she'd many times suggested they walk clip together extracurricular of work.
Olga Tsvyk: She starts acting for illustration she's my friend, you know?
Feeling uneasy, Olga had refused Viktoria's offers to bent out. And she noticed thing other astir Viktoria — thing visually unsettling: an uncanny beingness resemblance.
Olga Tsvyk: I thought she looked for illustration me.
Lookalikes Olga Tsvyk, left, and Viktoria Nasyrova.
Olga Tsvyk/Viktoria Nasyrova/Facebook
While Olga had turned down socializing pinch Viktoria, she relented to her pleas for eyelash thief and told her to travel over. Olga's uneasy emotion returned erstwhile Viktoria showed up astatine her doorway pinch 3 mini slices of cheesecake.
Olga Tsvyk: It's from, for illustration celebrated bakery, for illustration celebrated cheesecake.
Olga says Viktoria quickly gobbled up 2 of nan slices, and past insisted Olga effort nan past one.
Peter Van Sant: Did you eat nan full piece?
Olga Tsvyk: Yes, it's for illustration mini piece.
Peter Van Sant: And what happened?
Olga Tsvyk: I sewage sick.
She said she threw up violently.
Peter Van Sant: And?
Olga Tsvyk: Then aft that, I don't retrieve anything.
Peter Van Sant: So, she tells you this story, what are you thinking?
Det. Kevin Rodgers: I americium suspicious.
With Olga acting woozy, Rodgers wondered if she was a supplier user.
Det. Kevin Rodgers: I said to her, I says, Olga, I said, I want to judge you, however, this doesn't adhd up. … But she was adamant, adamant. This 100 percent happened, and this female is up to something.
In nan garbage, Rodgers did spot something.
The cheesecake instrumentality retrieved from Olga Tsvyk's garbage was taken into evidence.
Queens District Attorney's Office
Det. Kevin Rodgers: I walked complete to nan wastepaper handbasket and correct location … was this integrative instrumentality pinch what appeared to beryllium nan remnants of pastry, thing that looked good.
Olga identified it arsenic nan cheesecake box. Rodgers told his grounds squad to container it and tag it. Whatever had been successful that box, Olga said it had made her very sick.
Peter Van Sant: You almost died.
Olga Tsvyk: Yeah, I was successful coma 34 minutes.
But Olga admits doctors didn't find thing suspicious successful her system. Still, she told Rodgers she was hospitalized twice. He called nan hospitals to corroborate but says they wouldn't divulge diligent information.
Det. Kevin Rodgers: Which again led maine to judge that possibly she wasn't telling nan truth.
Rodgers did effort to find Viktoria Nasyrova but couldn't.
Peter Van Sant: It sounds for illustration astatine that constituent this lawsuit … is almost over.
Det. Kevin Rodgers: Dead.
But a fewer months later, nan lawsuit came backmost to life erstwhile Rodgers recovered a caller witness: a neighbour of Olga's, who reported seeing a female visiting her nan time aft nan alleged cheesecake incident.
Det. Kevin Rodgers: He told maine that a female had travel and gone … a fewer times.
The neighbour said nan mysterious female had told him Olga was sick. And erstwhile he went to cheque connected Olga he walked into a surreal segment and called an ambulance. Her room was for illustration a sauna. Someone had turned nan power connected afloat blast moreover though it was a basking August day. And Olga was passed retired successful nan bed, hardly dressed.
Det. Kevin Rodgers: When she is discovered … she is discovered successful this benignant of racy lingerie.
Olga was stunned by this item because she had been wearing sweatpants.
Peter Van Sant: So, personification changed you.
Olga Tsvyk: Yeah.
Peter Van Sant: Changed your clothes.
Olga Tsvyk: Yeah.
And location was more. Pills were strewn each complete nan floor. Rodgers wondered: had personification tried to termination Olga and past staged nan segment to make it look for illustration a suicide? Rodgers realized that Olga had astir apt been telling nan truth each along.
Det. Kevin Rodgers: I do person to make that benignant of uncomfortable apology to her of, I'm genuinely sorry for not believing you 100 percent astatine first.
Rodgers now turned his attraction again to uncovering nan fishy successful this lawsuit — Olga's client, Viktoria Nasyrova. But wherever was she? Rodgers had nary measurement of knowing that personification other was besides trying to find her.
His sanction is Herman Weisberg. He's a backstage oculus and a retired New York City detective. Weisberg was search Viktoria done ads connected Russian making love sites and societal media, wherever he says immoderate of her outreach seemed designed for a niche audience.
Herman Weisberg: She was advertizing her services arsenic a dominatrix slash escort.
He believed Viktoria was utilizing online ads to perpetrate crimes of opportunity.
Herman Weisberg: She would sound retired pinch knockout narcotics … taking money, watches, jewelry, immoderate she could get.
And he suspected Viktoria had done thing overmuch worse.
OLGA TSVYK FINDS SHE IS NOT ALONE
With nan fog of her mysterious unwellness down her, Olga Tsvyk says she went backmost to work, sharing nan communicative of her harrowing ordeal. That's erstwhile different customer told her thing she ne'er expected to hear.
Olga Tsvyk: She said, "you know, 1 of my hubby friend, I deliberation personification besides supplier him … his sanction is Ruben."
The customer put Olga successful touch pinch nan different drugging unfortunate — a man named Ruben Borukhov.
About 2 months earlier Olga ate that cheesecake, Ruben, who ran a adjacent dry-cleaning business, met a female connected a Russian making love site. Her name? Viktoria Nasyrova.
Ruben Borukhov: She said she's a bully navigator and I said I emotion to eat.
The 2 arranged to meet astatine her spot for dinner.
Ruben Borukhov: I conscionable took 1 wound of fish, and I was retired of it successful 5 minutes.
Ruben says he passed out, and Viktoria allegedly went connected a shopping spree.
Ruben Borukhov: She took, like, $800, possibly $1,000 successful my — each together successful cash, $2,400 successful American Express.
Peter Van Sant: So, she's livin' precocious connected nan hog connected your money.
Ruben Borukhov: Absolutely. … And past she brought maine present (walks complete to a chair successful his shop and sits down).
Two days later, Ruben had still been retired of it erstwhile Viktoria virtually took him to nan cleaners. One of Ruben's labor recorded video.
Ruben Borukhov: She is stepping present and location and making immoderate stories to my workers. "Oh, we had wine! He drank 2 vessel of wine." … I don't retrieve nothing.
As Viktoria talks to nan workers, the camera catches a glimpse of her sitting successful nan boss's chair.
FEMALE VOICE ON VIDEO: Maybe he return pill aliases something, right?
Ruben Borukhov is seen being taken retired of his business by paramedics.
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Luckily, Ruben's sister called an ambulance. Viktoria would fly nan segment earlier it arrived, but not earlier cleaning him out
Ruben Borukhov (shows Van Sant nan wrong of a safe): I person immoderate money successful nan basement, mates 100 here, she took it, she took nan watch.
And Ruben believes Viktoria astir took a batch much than that.
Peter Van Sant: Did you almost die?
Ruben Borukhov: I deliberation truthful … that's really I was.
Herman Weisberg: Oh. He was a sick man.
But backstage oculus Herman Weisberg says erstwhile it to comes to Viktoria Nasyrova, Olga and Ruben whitethorn person been nan fortunate ones. In 2017, Weisberg began moving pinch Nadia Ford. Nadia said her mother Alla Alekseenko, pinch whom she was very close, had gone missing backmost location successful Russia.
Peter Van Sant: And, so, each time you would talk to her?
Nadia Ford: Every day.
Nadia says earlier her mother disappeared, she had mentioned making a caller champion friend. The friend's name? Viktoria Nasyrova. Before Viktoria came to New York, she was surviving successful Russia, and had go Alla's neighbour successful nan flat adjacent door.
"They look for illustration an overseas couple," Peter Van Sant said of nan relationship betwixt Alla and Viktoria.
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Peter Van Sant (holding up photos): Here is your mother … opinionated adjacent to you. … And present is Viktoria. … And they look for illustration an overseas couple.
Nadia Ford: Right.
Peter Van Sant: You conscionable wouldn't deliberation they'd bent retired pinch each other.
Nadia Ford: She was ever trying to beryllium very friends pinch her. You know, and my mom, she spot everyone.
In nan autumn of 2014, Alla had told Nadia she would beryllium sending her girl typical gifts. Her caller champion friend Viktoria would bring them. Viktoria would beryllium carrying $6,000 successful rate and different valuables, including 2 fur coats, to beryllium manus delivered to Nadia. But Viktoria ne'er showed, and connected October 5, Nadia tried to telephone her mother but couldn't scope her.
Peter Van Sant: How galore times did you telephone your mother that day, October 5th?
Nadia Ford: Oh, a lot. A lot. Like a hundred.
Peter Van Sant Really? A 100 times?
Nadia Ford: At least. At least. … I tried everything.
Peter Van Sant And she would not answer?
Nadia Ford: No.
Peter Van Sant: So, what are you thinking?
Nadia Ford: I sewage acrophobic because for 8 years she ne'er happened that she didn't reply nan phone. Never.
Nadia says she had recovered Viktoria's abrupt relationship pinch her mom suspicious. And that suspicion only grew erstwhile she accessed her mother's cellphone records online.
Peter Van Sant: I saw nan past personification who called her. It was Viktoria.
The telephone had travel successful astatine 11 p.m., and location were nary different calls aft it.
Nadia Ford: And that's it. And past my bosom dropped. …I conscionable cried. I conscionable near everything.
Nadia near everything successful her Brooklyn flat and headed consecutive for nan airport.
Nadia Ford: I conscionable started to person this emotion that thing happened. … Something terrible.
Peter Van Sant: Something unspeakable happened.
Nadia Ford launched her ain investigation into her mother's disappearance.
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About 2 years later, "48 Hours" brought Nadia backmost to her hometown of Krasnodar, astir 800 miles southbound of Moscow adjacent nan Black Sea, to show america really she launched her ain investigation into her mother's disappearance.
First, Nadia convinced Viktoria to meet her extracurricular her mom's flat building, wherever she confronted her. She says Viktoria loudly insisted Alla was alive.
Nadia Ford: And past she ran up nan stairs and past I'm like, "Where are you going?' Why are you running?"
Peter Van Sant: And she runs up here, are you chasing her?
Nadia Ford: Exactly, yeah.
Nadia told america she notified constabulary and took them wrong her mother's apartment. She quickly realized nan spot had been looted.
Nadia Ford: (going done drawers): So, erstwhile I locomotion into nan flat … nothing.
Peter Van Sant: Credit cards gone?
Nadia Ford: Nothing. Nothing.
Family heirlooms and costly jewelry — gone. And whoever did this besides stole astir of her mother's life's savings: $40,000 Alla kept successful a concealed hideaway.
Nadia Ford: And if you return this disconnected and it's correct complete there. (shows Van Sant nan area wherever her mother had hidden nan cash)
It was gone. And arsenic acold arsenic Nadia could tell, truthful was Viktoria.
Peter Van Sant: What are nan constabulary and nan territory lawyer and what are these group saying to you?
Nadia Ford: Just hold … She's gonna travel back.
Undaunted, Nadia carried connected her search, crisscrossing nan state posting flyers. She pleaded pinch Viktoria by text.
Nadia Ford: "Listen, I springiness you everything. My apartment, money, you sanction it. … Please conscionable springiness maine my mom back."
Nadia feared she was getting obscurity erstwhile she had an idea.
Peter Van Sant (in car pinch Nadia): Nadia, wherever are we correct now?
Nadia Ford: We're connected a road that — Viktoria had my mom.
She'd noticed that astir main roads had postulation cameras. What if 1 of them had photographed Viktoria nan nighttime Nadia's mother went missing?
Peter Van Sant: But you gotta get entree to these photographs. How do you do that?
Nadia Ford: It's Russia. You bargain things. You person money. You bargain things.
She checked each camera astir municipality and circled outward. About 100 miles from nan apartment.
Nadia deed paydirt.
Nadia Ford: (pointing to postulation camera): That's nan camera, you see, correct there. That's nan camera that showed my mom was pinch Viktoria.
The pictures look blurry, but Nadia was definite that Viktoria Nasyrova is down nan instrumentality — and her mother was successful nan rider seat.
Nadia Ford
Pictures from that postulation camera changed everything. The pictures look blurry, but Nadia was definite that Viktoria Nasyrova is down nan instrumentality — and arsenic judge she knew who is sitting successful nan rider seat: her mom.
Peter Van Sant: No uncertainty successful your mind?
Nadia Ford: No.
Peter Van Sant: And what's nan day that this image was taken?
Nadia Ford: October 5th successful nan morning. Ten o'clock.
Peter Van Sant: October 5th. The time that you mislaid each connection pinch your ain mother.
If nan image could beryllium believed, it meant her mother could still beryllium alive.
Nadia Ford: This camera gave maine hope.
Nadia called Russian constabulary astir nan pictures and was shocked astatine their response.
Peter Van Sant: What does nan detective say?
Nadia Ford: He said, "I know. I person these pictures."
With investigators now moving nan case, Nadia says they confirmed that Viktoria rented nan car pinch plates matching what was seen connected nan postulation camera. They tracked her down and brought her successful for a dishonesty detector test. But earlier nan results could travel back, unbeknownst to nan cops, Viktoria caught nan first formation retired of Russia.
ON THE TRAIL OF A FUGITIVE
Nadia Ford: She cannot get distant pinch this.
With Viktoria connected nan run, Nadia desperately continued her hunt for her mother — hoping against dream to find her alive.
Nadia Ford: I dedicated my life to that. … I discontinue everything and everyone. … I … didn't judge … that my mom is not alive.
Nadia Ford and her mother Alla Alekseenko.
Nadia Ford
But dream turned to heartbreak successful April 2015 erstwhile she sewage a disturbing telephone call. Charred quality remains had been recovered successful a distant area astir a two-hour thrust from Alla's apartment. Authorities called Nadia successful to make an identification.
Nadia Ford: I said, "No. That's not her. No. It's — it's conscionable remains." … And past a fewer minutes later, I started looking astatine her teeth.
Peter Van Sant: And you knew. You knew it was your mother.
Nadia Ford: Yeah. And yeah. So, I fundamentally recognized my mom by her teeth.
The Russian municipality of Armavir is astir 110 miles from Krasnodar. It's important to this lawsuit because it's wherever Viktoria Nasyrova grew up — and wherever Alla's assemblage was dumped.
Nadia Ford: The assemblage was here.
Nadia Ford: Viktoria took everything from me. My family, my life, my mom, my everything.
An world warrant was issued for Viktoria Nasyrova's arrest.
By this time, Interpol already had issued an world apprehension warrant for Viktoria Nasyrova successful Alla's murder.
Nadia went location to Brooklyn wished arsenic ever to way down Viktoria Nasyrova. On a whim, she turned to Facebook. And you'll ne'er conjecture whose look popped up connected nan screen.
Nadia Ford: Viktoria was posting pictures … each complete nan Facebook. Checking successful astatine this spot and that place. Beautiful life. … she flew to Mexico.
Peter Van Sant: Having a awesome time.
Nadia Ford: Yeah. And from Mexico she flew to New York.
Nadia reported each this to U.S. constabulary and migration officials. But they couldn't find Viktoria. That's erstwhile Nadia started moving pinch backstage interrogator and erstwhile New York City detective Herman Weisberg. He combed done Viktoria's Facebook floor plan pinch an knowledgeable oculus for detail.
Herman Weisberg: I ne'er look astatine what group want maine to spot connected these sites. I'm utilized to looking astatine everything isolated from for what's expected to tie your attraction in.
Late astatine night, Weisberg meticulously studied each photograph and made a singular find correct connected Viktoria's face.
Herman Weisberg recovered an important hint successful this photograph of Viktoria Nasyrova. Other photos posted to her Facebook page would uncover moreover much clues.
ViktoriaNasyrova/Facebook
Herman Weisberg: (pointing to a photograph of Viktoria): This peculiar image was nan astir beneficial. She's wearin' nan Ray-Ban sunglasses … that are mirrored, and she took a awesome image for america to — to spot nan dashboard of nan car. … But much importantly, nan stitching connected that backmost headrest.
Peter Van Sant (pointing to nan stitching successful nan photo): This correct here?
Herman Weisberg: Yes, this achromatic leather pinch a … ray grey stitching connected it. … I decided nan adjacent morning, I was going to beryllium astatine a large parking batch astatine a train station.
He walked statement aft statement of vehicles, peering into windows, hoping to find nan make and exemplary that had that stitching.
Herman Weisberg: And it's a large hub for nan railroads.
Peter Van Sant: Hundreds of cars successful here.
Herman Weisberg: Yeah. Probably thousands each complete nan place. So, it's existent easy … to look for nan kinda item I was looking for.
Then, a Chrysler sedan caught his eye.
Peter Van Sant: So, you look wrong nan car and what do you see?
Herman Weisberg: All right, it's sewage nan aforesaid stitching.
Peter Van Sant: And — show maine connected your phone. … There's her mirrored sunglasses.
Herman Weisberg: Yup. The stitching complete here.
It turns retired that only a Chrysler 300 had nan stitching and dashboard layout. Now, nan difficult part: uncovering nan circumstantial car Viktoria was driving.
Herman Weisberg: Again, this was specified a chaotic goose pursuit astatine this point.
But Weisberg saw that a bid of likes connected Viktoria's Facebook page were clustered astir Sheepshead Bay, a Russian vicinity successful Brooklyn.
Peter Van Sant: So, you sent immoderate of your investigators … to look for 1 of these Chrysler 300s. Did they person immoderate luck?
Herman Weisberg: Well, yeah. We recovered a bunch of them. … And nan adjacent time I had personification tally nan licence plates and, luckily, we recovered 1 that came backmost to a Russian sounding name.
Weisberg took our "48 Hours" unit into nan area he searched and called Van Sant to nan segment erstwhile he again recovered nan Chrysler 300 astatine nan bosom of this investigation.
Peter Van Sant: This is it.
Herman Weisberg: Yeah.
Peter Van Sant: This is nan car.
Herman Weisberg: This is the car, yeah.
Peter Van Sant: Take a look inside. You spot nan stitching?
Herman Weisberg: Yeah. Hard to miss now.
Peter Van Sant: There it is.
Herman Weisberg: Now you spot really unsocial it is, right?
Peter Van Sant: Yeah. … This is only an area of 8.5 cardinal people. And you recovered nan car.
Herman Weisberg: It wasn't a needle successful a haystack. You had to find nan haystack first.
And erstwhile Weisberg went to nan reside connected to that car, nan building looked familiar. Weisberg had seen it earlier — successful different 1 of Viktoria's selfies.
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Herman Weisberg: When you look astatine it and you spot that — that telephone rod and nan location of that manhole screen and that manhole screen … If you look complete there, you've sewage nan telephone rod and you've sewage nan 2 manhole covers.
Peter Van Sant: This is brilliant, Herman. Through that reflection … successful her — successful her glasses, you fig retired this is nan flat building wherever nan man who owns that Chrysler 300 lives. And pinch Viktoria successful nan picture, you reasoning she mightiness beryllium surviving pinch this guy?
Herman Weisberg: It—she — it looks for illustration she took a selfie there. And it — and it each starts to make sense.
Amazingly, nan female Russian authorities wanted for nan execution of Nadia's mother, was now surviving pinch her fellow successful Nadia's ain backyard.
Nadia Ford: Four aliases 5 blocks away.
Peter Van Sant: You gotta beryllium kidding me.
Nadia Ford: No.
Peter Van Sant: Did you effort to spell find her?
Nadia Ford: No.
Peter Van Sant: Why?
Nadia Ford: 'Cause I would termination her.
Herman Weisberg: We sewage fortunate early on. And we spotted Viktoria and her fellow retired here.
The fellow was nan proprietor of nan Chrysler 300 and lived successful that flat building.
That fellow told "48 Hours" that he yet became 1 of Viktoria's victims himself. He says not only did she bargain from him, but that she killed his beloved beagle "Joey."
Herman Weisberg: Apparently Viktoria … sewage very suspicious of nan canine getting each of nan spotlight successful that house, and decided to poison nan beagle, allegedly … connected nan beagle's birthday. I'm a canine lover, truthful that's tough.
And Joey nan beagle's demise didn't beryllium good pinch Viktoria's neighbors, either.
Karen Hill: She killed his dog, that bitch. She killed his dog.
Herman Weisberg: Every clip you study thing other astir this woman, you recognize that if she was near un-arrested, this coulda really ended poorly for Brooklyn (laughs).
But now Weisberg knew nan hunt was yet over. He says he called Interpol and Homeland Security but neither 1 agreed to return action. So, he alerted nan NYPD and connected March 20, 2017, nan constabulary made their move. The female who had erstwhile posed arsenic a dominatrix, abruptly recovered herself successful handcuffs.
Viktoria Nasyrova is arrested by authorities connected March 20, 2017.
Gregory P. Mango
Nadia Ford: I conscionable cried. I — I couldn't judge that it's really happened. … It's a miracle.
Detective Kevin Rodgers couldn't judge it erstwhile his telephone rang.
Det. Kevin Rodgers: Brooklyn advises america they had this woman, Viktoria Nasyrova, successful their custody.
Rodgers says nan cheesecake lawsuit abruptly started making sense.
Det. Kevin Rodgers: Olga had thing that Viktoria wanted, and it wasn't money. And it wasn't handbags.
He says nan instant he started reviewing constabulary grounds photos he saw thing that made it clear precisely what Viktoria was after. An ID of Olga's was recovered successful Viktoria's flat — nan image looked eerily akin to Viktoria herself.
During a hunt of Victoria Nasyrova's apartment, investigators recovered an ID paper belonging to Olga Tsvyk. Investigators were convinced Nasyrova had intended to termination Tsvyk successful bid to presume her identity.
Olga Tsvyk | ViktoriaNasyrova/Facebook
Det. Kevin Rodgers: I deliberation she wanted to termination this female and presume her identity.
To backmost up his theory, Rodgers knew he would request to beryllium that Olga's cheesecake had been poisoned. When he sent nan instrumentality from Olga's location to a lab, they recovered nothing. But erstwhile Rodgers decided to nonstop it for much extended testing, he sewage a hit.
Det. Kevin Rodgers: Phenazepam is simply a sedative … chiefly utilized astatine nan clip successful Russia.
Peter Van Sant: It makes you sleepy?
Olga Tsvyk: Sleepy, past coma, past death.
Rodgers learned that Phenazepam is particularly vulnerable successful a basking environment. Remember, nan heater successful Olga's room had been near connected high. And Viktoria's DNA was connected nan cheesecake box.
Peter Van Sant: All these pieces of nan puzzle.
Det. Kevin Rodgers: Puzzle.
Peter Van Sant: They've travel together.
Det. Kevin Rodgers: Absolutely.
Peter Van Sant: And, so, you deliberation this was — this was a planned murder.
Det. Kevin Rodgers: Absolutely.
Viktoria was charged pinch attempted execution for nan onslaught connected Olga, battle and expansive larceny. Before trial, she agreed to beryllium down pinch "48 Hours" astatine New York's Rikers Island Jail.
VIKTORIA NASYROVA COMES FACE-TO-FACE WITH "48 HOURS" — AND A JURY
We'd heard sadistic and colorful stories astir Viktoria Nasyrova for months, truthful successful 2017, erstwhile "48 Hours" interviewed her successful jailhouse arsenic authorities investigated her for attempted execution successful Olga's case, we weren't judge what to expect.
Peter Van Sant (holding photograph of Nadia and Alla): Would you look astatine this.
Viktoria Nasyrova: Yeah.
Peter Van Sant: This is Alla.
Viktoria Nasyrova: Yes.
She insisted she had thing to do pinch nan disappearance of Nadia's mother Alla.
"48 Hours" analogous Peter Van Sant pinch Viktoria Nasyrova astatine Rikers Island jail. When asjked if she killed Alla, Nasyrova replied, "I americium not a killer. …I'm woman. Only woman."
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Peter Van Sant: Viktoria, did you termination Alla?
Viktoria Nasyrova: No.
Peter Van Sant: You did not.
Viktoria Nasyrova: No.
Peter Van Sant:There's a female named Olga who looks a batch for illustration you who claims that you tried to termination her by giving her a portion of poisoned cheesecake. … You wanted her dormant truthful you could bargain her identity.
Viktoria Nasyrova: I cognize whom you mean. I cognize this young woman. I tin show you that … I did not unit her to eat it.
Peter Van Sant: You're telling maine each of these accusations against you … each of that is false?
Viktoria Nasyrova: No. … I admit doing a portion of it, but I will only talk astir it astatine nan trial.
Viktoria Nasyrova would beryllium successful custody for astir six years, arsenic nan pandemic caused delays, earlier she stood proceedings for nan poisoning of Olga Tsvyk. When nan lawsuit went to tribunal successful January 2023, nan media were watching.
Prosecutor Dino Litourgis: There are elements successful this lawsuit you won't find anyplace else. The beautician, nan cheesecake …
Peter Van Sant: In each nan grounds you person successful this case, what is nan astir important successful your opinion?
Prosecutor Dino Litourgis: We're looking astatine it correct here. It's this container…
The cheesecake container
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The cheesecake container from Olga's garbage still has crumbs near inside. Outlandish arsenic it is, charismatic Litourgis tells jurors successful opening statements they should spot it arsenic a imaginable execution weapon.
PROSECUTOR DINO LITOURGIS (in court): This is not a joke. It's not conscionable a story. This suspect intended to termination this female and bargain her identity.
He calls Olga first, to item nan quality consequences.
PROSECUTOR DINO LITOURGIS (in court): And she's going to explicate to you everything that happened to her. Everything that she tin remember, of course.
Prosecutor. Dino Litourgis: She was poisoned pinch thing that impacted her memory.
Cameras were not allowed to grounds witnesser testimony. Olga makes it clear that talking astir nan specifications of her ordeal is still for illustration reliving a bad dream and testifying successful beforehand of her alleged attacker traumatizes her each nan more.
Peter Van Sant: Was she looking astatine you?
Olga Tsvyk: Uh, yeah, she looked astatine me.
Peter Van Sant: What did you spot connected her face, successful her eyes?
Olga Tsvyk: Um, you know, she's smiling.
The authorities besides calls Nadia Ford.
Nadia Ford: She was smiling. … She was smirking.
Nadia Ford: I was trying to get — get her look, look astatine me. Look astatine nan personification who mother you killed. Look — look into my eyes, retrieve them for nan remainder of your life.
The judge has strictly constricted prosecutors from going into specifics astir nan execution charges facing Viktoria successful Russia, truthful they're hoping Nadia tin finesse nan specifications and still get nan constituent across.
Prosecutor Dino Litourgis: I'll show you it was a risky strategy.
Peter Van Sant: What has she told them that you deliberation helps your case?
Prosecutor Dino Litourgis: What she told nan assemblage … is that thing superior happened successful Russia. … It's 1 point for maine to opportunity nan crime was superior and it's different point for a witnesser to travel successful and show … pinch her assemblage language, pinch her eyes, pinch her wide demeanor, that this was an incredibly superior crime that Viktoria Nasyrova was wanted for.
Nadia Ford: I was staring astatine her. I conscionable her to look astatine me. She didn't look astatine maine once.
Prosecutor Dino Litourgis: I was almost definite successful nan opening of nan proceedings that Viktoria was going to testify. … I cognize that she likes to talk.
Viktoria Nasyrova spent astir six years successful custody, waiting for her proceedings done pandemic delays. The lawsuit of nan poison cheesecake went to tribunal successful January 2023.
PapaRead News/Liz Caholo
As it turned out, Viktoria declined to attest and reply questions. But thing she did opportunity made it into nan trial. Something she said to Peter Van Sant successful a portion of her "48 Hours" question and reply published online.
PROSECUTOR DINO LITOURGIS (in court): It's successful evidence. Peter Van Sant asked this female successful English. "There's a female named Olga who claims that you tried to termination her by giving her a portion of poisoned cheesecake."
Litourgis has personification publication her reply into nan record.
VIktoria Nasyrova (replying to Peter Van Sant) I cognize whom you mean. I cognize this young woman. I tin show you that. … but I did not unit her to eat it.
Prosecutor Dino Litourgis: For maine arsenic an individual — she's blameworthy … pinch that statement.
He points retired to nan assemblage that obscurity successful Victoria's reply to does she really contradict poisoning nan cheesecake.
DEFENSE ATTORNEY CHRISTOPHER HOYT (in court): Ms. Nasyrova is not blameworthy of these charges!
But defense lawyer Christopher Hoyt doesn't telephone a azygous witnesser to thief him beryllium it. Instead, he argues nan spectacle of this lawsuit obscures nan specifics: specifications that magnitude to reasonable doubt.
DEFENSE ATTORNEY CHRISTOPHER HOYT (in court): There is nary nonstop grounds of anyone seeing Viktoria Nasyrova putting Phenazepam successful cheesecake.
He reminds nan assemblage Olga's doctors didn't find thing different successful her system. And he says location was thing peculiarly different astir Viktoria's life successful New York, either.
DEFENSE ATTORNEY CHRISTOPHER HOYT (in court): She's been conscionable surviving successful nan U.S. utilizing her normal sanction …
That's conscionable nan point, says nan prosecutor. Victoria's US visa was group to expire. She was frightened of facing charges successful Russia and needed a caller personality to thief her hide.
PROSECUTOR DINO LITOURGIS (in court): There's only 2 categories of group … that request personification else's ID … you person assemblage kids nether nan property of 21 who want to get their buddies' ID to spell portion and past connected nan different hand, you person world fugitives who request someone's ID arsenic a lifeline to enactment successful this state and not spell backmost to Russia.
DEFENSE ATTORNEY CHRISTOPHER HOYT (in court): This is not a lawsuit astir what happened successful Russia…
And nan defense insists that moreover if Viktoria poisoned nan cheesecake, it's not capable to beryllium she wanted Olga dead.
DEFENSE ATTORNEY CHRISTOPHER HOYT (in court): I taxable to you that they person not proven that intent.
PROSECUTOR DINO LITOURGIS (in court): This lawsuit has much than you request to reason beyond a reasonable uncertainty that this suspect is guilty.
But will nan assemblage agree?
VERDICT: WERE POISON CHEESECAKE – & JUSTICE – SERVED?
Peter Van Sant: When this assemblage goes retired to deliberate, what's going done your mind?
Prosecutor Melinda Katz: What's going done my mind is that they understand — nan diabolical … calculation that occurred for this crime.
Prosecutor Dino Litrougis' boss, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz says Viktoria Nasyrova is simply a batch smarter and much committed than nan mean criminal defendant.
Prosecutor Melinda Katz: It takes patience, and it takes planning.
But it takes nan assemblage successful her proceedings only an hour-and-a-half to scope a verdict.
MAN IN COURT: How opportunity you successful count number 1 of nan indictment charging nan suspect Viktoria Nasyrova pinch attempted execution successful nan 2nd grade … blameworthy aliases not guilty?
JUROR: Guilty.
Guilty of attempted murder successful nan 2nd degree.
Peter Van Sant: Were location tears?
Olga Tsvyk: Yes.
At sentencing, Olga tells nan tribunal her suffering went connected agelong aft Viktoria's attack.
Olga Tsvyk, center, and Nadia Ford, right, respond to nan blameworthy verdict.
PapaRead News/Liz Caholo
OLGA TSVYK (in court): She caused maine to suffer spot successful people. I person trouble to spot group and I cannot cognize for judge what their existent intentions are. … I americium grateful that this personification will beryllium punished for what she did to me.
The maximum reward is 25 years successful prison. But astatine sentencing, Judge Kenneth Holder gives her less.
JUDGE KENNETH HOLDER: You are an highly vulnerable woman. … I condemnation you to 21 years successful jail.
With in installments for clip served, Viktoria whitethorn beryllium retired successful 15. Even so, she has immoderate prime words for nan tribunal arsenic she is led away, hardly audible nether her mask.
VIKTORIA NASYROVA: F*** you.
Herman Weisberg: She's a narcissistic, homicidal maniac. That's what narcissistic, homicidal maniacs opportunity erstwhile they — something— everything goes bad for them.
Victoria's clip down bars has already been rough. In 2018 astatine Rikers Island jailhouse successful New York, she was assaulted by chap inmates and suffered aggregate injuries to her face.
And erstwhile she's done serving her clip successful America, Viktoria faces deportation and execution charges backmost successful Russia.
Peter Van Sant (to Nadia aft sentencing): I cognize there's awesome restitution for you that Viktoria's yet going to prison. But it's not for what she did to your mom. Is that still an emptiness wrong for you?
Nadia Ford: I consciousness better. … astatine slightest I know, now for adjacent 15 years, she's not going to wounded anyone.
Two of nan group Viktoria has wounded astir person resolved to tie spot from each other. Since calamity unexpectedly brought them together, Nadia and Olga person go nan champion of friends.
Olga Tsvyk: When we met, I consciousness for illustration I — I knew Nadia each my life.
Nadia Ford: She's very kind, very nice, unfastened hearted, like, you know, Kind of reminds maine of my mom.
Olga Tsvyk: Nadia ... She went done hell.
They look to cognize it takes 1 unfortunate of Viktoria Nasyrova to genuinely understand another.
Peter Van Sant: Do you deliberation nan 2 of you will beryllium friends for life?
Olga Tsvyk: I think, yes.
In 2018, Viktoria Nasyrova sued New York City for negligence successful nan Rikers Island jailhouse attack. The metropolis settled nan case, paying Nasyrova $325,000.
Produced by Josh Yager. Stephen A. McCain is nan improvement producer. Richard Barber is nan producer-editor. Morgan Canty is nan subordinate producer. Patti Aronofsky is nan elder producer. Nancy Kramer is nan executive editor. Judy Tygard is nan executive producer.
- In:
- 48 Hours
- Attempted Murder
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