On Tuesday, Authorities in New York City arrested a woman for allegedly luring a man with a fake romantic date via Instagram. She then kidnapped, tortured, and demanded a $100K ransom from his brother.
NBC News reported that Valerie Rosario, 21, kidnapped and lured the 24-year-old unidentified man to a Bronx apartment on Feb. 7.
When the victim arrived, two additional men with weapons waited for him, knocking him out. The three then allegedly undressed the man, placed him in the apartment’s bathtub, and coated him in a flammable substance while torturing him by burning sparks near him and stabbing him with a knife repeatedly.
It is alleged that the victim‘s brother received a FaceTime call from the two men in masks surrounding him in the tub. “Give us $100,000, or we will kill him,” the kidnappers reportedly warned the brother.
Javier Vargas, one of the suspects, was apprehended the same day after authorities discovered him in Queens with a knife in his vehicle. The victim was eventually found with his face taped up, but he was transported to the hospital and is now in stable condition.
Along with Vargas, the second suspect, Michael Candelario, and Rosario were arrested and charged with attempted murder, robbery, assault, kidnapping, and unlawful imprisonment.
Last week, the suspects appeared in court, and Rosario’s lawyer said that the allegations against her are baseless. The other two suspects are still being held.
