Who Is Kat Torres? Influencer Who Allegedly Made Assistant Sleep In Cat Urine

Kat Torres, a US-based Brazilian influencer, was sentenced to eight years in prison on July 14 for human trafficking and slavery of women for several years. The prominent former model was rumoured to be dating Leonardo DiCaprio a few years ago. The crime came to light when a Federal Bureau of Investigation found that two women living with her had gone missing in 2022. Several survivors have testified against Torres saying she also performed 'witchcraft' on them and forced them into sex work.

Who Is Kat Torres? 

Born in Belém, State of Pará, Brazil, Kat Torres' journey from an impoverished background to making it big in Hollywood reportedly inspired and attracted several women. The 31-year-old was also a popular figure on Brazilian television as she claimed she could make predictions using her 'spiritual powers'.

According to reports, Torres was introduced to a hallucinogenic drug called ayahuasca, using which she reinvented herself as a life coach and 'hypnotist'. Torres created self-help videos including hypnosis, meditation and exercise programmes. She also offered one-on-one video consultations for $150 per session.

Trafficking, Hypnotism, Prostitution

In 2019, a Boston University student named Ana escaped an abusive relationship in Brazil to work as Torres' live-in assistant in New York. She was hired to look after Torres' pets, do her laundry, cook and clean for $2000 a month. However, Ana told BBC that she was never paid and was tortured.

Ana mentioned that Torres' house was filthy and she was forced to sleep on a sofa covered in cat urine. The assistant said she was also expected to constantly be available for Torres, only being allowed to sleep for a few hours. She would sneak away to the building's gym to sleep for a few hours.

After Ana escaped, Torres hired two more women, Desirre and Leticia, who moved with her to a house in Texas. They were forbidden from speaking to each other and had to ask her permission to leave their rooms, even to use the bathroom. Within weeks, Desirre was reportedly pressured into working at a local strip club.

Torres also allegedly performed 'witchcraft' on Desirre and convinced her to become a sex worker. If she didn't meet the earning quotas that Torres set, she was not allowed to return to the house that night. Desirre recalled her trauma speaking to BBC, “I ended up sleeping on the street several times because I couldn't reach that."

In 2022, Desirre and Leticia's families and friends launched social media campaigns to find them. To escape media attention, Torres took the women and moved to Maine. From there, the two were made to post Instagram videos denying being held captive and demanding people stop searching for them.

However. Torres' crimes came to light after an FBI investigation. The probe found that over 20 women were exploited by the Brazilian former model and influencer. Several survivors have come forward with their horrible experiences with Torres. They are still undergoing psychiatric therapy, according to reports.