Russian cheesecake doppelganger poisoning suspect convicted of trying to kill lookalike and steal identity
Homeland Security investigators found Soviet-era Phenazepam in the pastry
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A Russian woman living in New York has been convicted of attempted murder and other charges after trying to kill a lookalike with poisoned cheesecake to steal her identity, prosecutors announced.
Viktoria Nasyrova, 47, faces up to 25 years in prison for the crime at her March 21 sentencing.
The Russian native visited Olga Tsvyk in Forest Hills in 2016 bearing a sweet slice with sour intentions, according to prosecutors. The dose knocked out Tsvyk, whose last memory before losing consciousness was seeing Nasyrova walking around her room.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A friend later found her unconscious, with pills scattered around her body as if she had attempted suicide, prosecutors said. Tsvyk recovered at a hospital and went home to find her passport and employment authorization card were missing, along with other valuables.
WOMAN ATTEMPTED TO KILL LOOKALIKE AND STEAL HER IDENTITIY, BUT LEFT DNA EVIDENCE BEHIND: PROSECUTOR
Convicted Russian poisoner Viktoria Nasyrova, left, and victim Olga Tsvyk, who survived. (Facebook)
"She laced a slice of cheesecake with a deadly drug so she could steal her unsuspecting victim’s most valuable possession, her identity," Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said Thursday. "Fortunately, her victim survived, and the poison led right back to the culprit."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Homeland Security investigators found Nasyrova's DNA all over the cheesecake box – and determined the slice had been laced with the Soviet-era sedative drug, Phenazepam – the same drug found in the pills scattered around Tsvyk's room, according to authorities.
Russian native Viktoria Nasyrova allegedly gave her friend a cheesecake laced with tranquilizer before stealing her identity, officials said. (Facebook)
Nasyrova and Tsvyk had the same complexion, dark hair and similar physical traits, according to prosecutors. And they both spoke Russian.
‘DOPPELGANGER’ KILLER ACCUSED OF BUTCHERING LOOKALIKE TO FAKE HER OWN DEATH AND FLEE FAMILY
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tsvyk was Nasyrova's stylist at the time of the crime and testified at trial that the would-be killer showed up at her doorstep claiming she needed an emergency touch-up.
Olga Tsvyk in an undated photo. (Facebook)
"She told me, ‘I’m right now in Brooklyn. I want to bring you some famous cheesecake from a famous bakery.’ I told her, Viktoria, that’s not needed, just come over,'" Tsvyk said.
She testified that Nasyrova ate two slices of the cake upon her arrival before and offered up a third slice that made Tsvyk sick about 20 minutes later.
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Nasyrova pleaded guilty in a separate case to attempted petit larceny in Brooklyn Supreme Court in 2019, following allegations she drugged and robbed men she met on dating apps. She is also accused of drugging and killing her neighbor in Russia, torching the body and fleeing to New York.
Fox News' Landon Mion contributed to this report.