Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Viktoria Nasyrova has been convicted by a jury of attempted murder and other charges for poisoning a Queens woman who resembled her with sedative-laced cheesecake and then stealing her identification and other property in August of 2016.

District Attorney Katz said: “The jury saw through the deception and schemes of the defendant. She laced a slice of cheesecake with a deadly drug so she could steal her unsuspecting victim’s most valuable possession, her identity. Fortunately, her victim survived and the poison led right back to the culprit. The defendant deserves to be held accountable for her crime with a long term of incarceration.”

Nasyrova, 47, of Voorhies Avenue in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn was convicted of attempted murder in the second degree, attempted assault in the first degree, assault in the second degree, unlawful imprisonment in the first degree and petit larceny. Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth C. Holder indicated he would sentence Nasyrova on March 21, at which time she faces up to 25 years in prison.

According to the evidence, on August 28, 2016, Nasyrova visited the Forest Hills home of the then-35-year-old victim bearing a gift of cheesecake. At that time, the victim and Nasyrova resembled one another—both had dark hair, the same skin complexion and other similar physical traits. Additionally, they were both Russian speakers.

The Queens woman ate the dessert given to her by the defendant and afterwards began to feel sick and laid down. Before passing out, the woman’s last memory was of seeing the defendant walking around her room. The following day, the victim’s friend discovered her unconscious in her bed. Later, it was discovered that there were pills scattered around her body – as if the woman had attempted to kill herself. The victim was taken to a hospital for treatment.

When the woman was discharged from the hospital and returned home, she realized that her passport and employment authorization card were missing, along with a gold ring and other valuables. Law enforcement agents with Homeland Security tested cheesecake residue found in the container and confirmed the sweet treat was laced with Phenazepam, a highly potent sedative. The pills found on the floor where the victim was discovered were tested by the Drug Enforcement Administration and were confirmed to be Phenazepam, as well.

District Attorney Katz thanks agents of the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigations for their assistance in this case.

Assistant District Attorneys Konstantinos Litourgis and Nicole Rella, of District Attorney’s Career Criminal Major Crimes Bureau are prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Michael Whitney, Senior Deputy Bureau Chief and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.