From Dating DiCaprio Rumors to a Dark Reality: The Shocking Downfall of Influencer Kat Torres
Once linked romantically to Hollywood A-lister Leonardo DiCaprio, Katiuscia ‘Kat’ Torres, an Instagram influencer and model, has now been handed an eight-year prison sentence. Kat, who captivated a massive online audience with her inspirational ‘rags to riches’ tale, is now a central figure in a harrowing human trafficking and slavery case.
Years ago, at the age of 24, Torres made headlines when she told a Brazilian media outlet she was in a relationship with the star of “Inception,” Leonardo DiCaprio. This claim was later disputed by sources close to DiCaprio, who denied any romantic involvement between the two. Torres claimed their meeting happened in Cannes, yet this was just the beginning of a series of controversial and troubling claims associated with her.
Almost a decade after these initial claims, Torres’ life took a dramatic and criminal turn. Recently, she was convicted of human trafficking and slavery, leading to her current eight-year incarceration.
In a deeply unsettling case from 2022, two Brazilian women, reported missing by their families, were found to have been living with Torres in the U.S. The search for these women, conducted by the FBI across multiple states, revealed they had been lured to Torres’ residence in Austin, Texas with promises of a better life.
Desirrê Freitas and Letícia Maia, both ardent followers of Torres, relocated to the U.S. hoping for new opportunities. However, their American dream quickly turned into a nightmare. Desirrê, for instance, was coerced into working long hours at a strip club, with Torres imposing a daily earnings quota of over $2,000.
Failing to meet these quotas meant Desirrê could not return to Torres’ home, pushing her into prostitution, says the BBC.
Their plight gained attention after their families launched a social media campaign to find them. A former employee of Torres, upon seeing the campaign, reported her suspicions to law enforcement, believing the women were being held captive.
The media coverage that ensued forced Torres to relocate the women to Maine. There, a welfare check carried out by Detective David Davo raised several red flags, including the women’s hesitance to speak without Torres’ permission, BBC News reports.
The intervention helped free the women, who were eventually reunited with their families. Meanwhile, Torres was deported back to Brazil where she was arrested in November 2022 and subsequently convicted.
As reported by The Independent, Torres faces additional charges brought forth by a second victim, with the investigation ongoing. Despite the claims against her, Torres told the BBC in April, “People are saying I am a fake guru, but at the same time, they are also saying that… ‘She is a danger to society because she can change people’s mind with her words’.” She insists on her innocence and has appealed her conviction, her lawyer confirms.
The rise and fall of Kat Torres serves as a chilling reminder of how quickly a story of success can turn into a saga of exploitation and crime.