Rio de Janeiro’s civil police have arrested a couple on suspicion of being part of a gang that ran a scam known as “Goodnight, Cinderella” against tourists in the city’s southern district. On Wednesday (12th) of this week, Mateus Cantaris Ribeiro Pereira, 22, and María Luisa Machado Velho da Silva, 21, were captured in Araluma, Lagos region.
The two men are on the run and have been identified as members of a group led by Claudio Rafael Silva de Queiroz de Pontes, who was arrested in Cabo Frio a week ago, Deat said.
The three men are suspected of doping tourists by mixing chemicals in their drinks, and using the victims’ mobile phones to make withdrawals, purchases, and bank transfers.
The suspect’s attorney was not identified in the report.
Deat representative Patricia Alemany said the group sought victims through dating apps.
“They used dating apps to socialize with their victims, and during their meetings, they put drugs in their drinks to put them to sleep. They then stole money and goods from domestic and foreign tourists,” he said.
One of the incidents involving the couple occurred on August 10, 2025, when a tourist from Pernambuco who was staying at a hotel on Calle Atlantica in Copacabana used an app to arrange a meeting with one of the suspects. He was forced to drink on the promenade and passed out.
When he regained consciousness in his hotel room, he discovered that his mobile phone had been taken from him and that several improper transactions totaling more than R$60,000 had been made.
Police are also investigating Maria Luisa’s involvement in a June 2025 scam targeting Italian tourists in Ipanema. He arranged a meeting on Grindr, and a few minutes later a blonde-haired woman, who the victim said was about 22 years old, also approached her.
The three drank Caipirinhas, and the Italian passed out after the second drink. A mobile phone and backpack were stolen, and bank transactions totaling 19,000 euros (117,000 reais) were made.
Maria Luisa has four criminal records and was investigated in two investigations related to robbery, theft, and criminal connections. This includes DEET’s own procedures for similar fraud. Matthäus also has four notes, and the same modus operandi was investigated in the 13th and 12th DP.
The couple’s arrest came days after the arrest of the group’s alleged leader, Claudio Pontes. He was arrested in Cabo Frio on November 6th. According to the investigation, Claudio posed as a prostitute and mainly attracted foreign and elderly tourists.
The suspect also acted in a similar manner. They provided the victim with drug-laced drinks, stole their devices and accessed their bank accounts.
Cases attributed to him include that of a Mexican tourist who was found unconscious on a beach in Ipanema, that of an Italian tourist, and that of two Chileans who lost about 15,000 reais after a meeting in Copacabana.
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