London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Mar 22, 2026

NYC woman accused of holding online ‘date’ hostage for $100K in twisted kidnapping, torture scheme

NYC woman accused of holding online ‘date’ hostage for $100K in twisted kidnapping, torture scheme

Valerie Rosario, 22, is facing charges of kidnapping and attempted murder after allegedly luring the man she met on Instagram.

Late one night last month, a 24-year-old man headed to a Bronx apartment — believing he was about to hook up with a pretty brunette he’d met on Instagram.

It turned out to be a honeytrap that nearly cost him his life.

Valerie Rosario allegedly helped kidnap and tortured a man she met on Instagram.


The woman he’d been chatting to was actually part of a group of sadists — who spent hours torturing the kidnapped man, even stabbing him while demanding $100,000 in ransom on a FaceTime call to his horrified brother, Manhattan prosecutors allege.

When police found the victim some 24 hours later, he was tied up and gagged in the back of a van — barely clinging to life.

The beauty who allegedly lured him, Valerie Rosario, 22, is now facing charges of kidnapping and attempted murder over the sick scheme, it was revealed in court last week.

Prosecutors say the Lower East Side con woman allegedly coaxed the “complete stranger” to an address on Marble Hill Avenue in The Bronx on Feb. 7 after they connected on Instagram.

The Manhattan apartment where Rosario lives.

The door to Rosario’s apartment.

He arrived at around 1 a.m. — and that’s when the twisted torture session began, according to a criminal complaint.

Three men barged into the apartment, with one of them pistol-whipping the victim, the court document said.

Rosario and the accomplices then allegedly stripped the victim “placed him in a bathtub, poured flammable substances on him, and burned him with a flame” all over his body, the charging document states.

They also tormented him with a knife, striking him “about the legs, back and body,” according to the court doc.

Sources said the sickos allegedly lured the victim to the apartment because they were driven by the money he flashed on his Instagram account.

“After multiple hours of torture,” the kidnappers moved their victim to a different location, Assistant District Attorney Andrew Kluger said at Rosario’s arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court Thursday.

Rosario was charged with kidnapping and attempted murder over the scheme.


Later that afternoon, the man’s brother got a grisly FaceTime call — and watched as his sibling was cut with a knife by one of the masked kidnappers as they demanded ransom, the complaint alleges.

“Give us one hundred thousand dollars or we will kill him,” they told his brother, according to the court doc.

Police officers were able to track down one of the alleged accomplices, Javier Vargas, outside an address in Queens, where he was sitting in a van with a knife, the court papers said.

The victim was found laying in the back of the van, “unconscious, wrapped in a blanket with tape covering his mouth,” the complaint stated.

He was “barely breathing,” Kluger said.

The victim was treated at a hospital for multiple burns and stab wounds to his face, body, back and legs, according to the complaint.

At her court appearance last week, Rosario wore a ratty “Tom and Jerry” top — a far cry from the tight dress and plunging gown she can be seen posing in on her Facebook page.

Kluger requested she be held without bail, noting that she stands accused of abducting a “complete stranger” and had allegedly “tortured him for 24 hours.”

Rosario and the other suspects allegedly asked the victim’s brother for $100,000 or they would kill him.


Defense attorney Raymond Loving asked that his client be released on her own recognizance, pointing out that Rosario lives with her mom and brother and has a full time job at a dentist office.

Judge Soma Syed cited the seriousness of the charges as she remanded Rosario into custody. The case is expected to be presented before a grand jury on Tuesday.

“Ms. Rosario denies all the allegations that have been leveled against her,” Loving said in a statement on Monday.

Both Vargas and another of the alleged kidnappers were also remanded after being arrested and charged last week.

Comments

Oh ya 4 year ago
2 things. Flashing money or other expenses stuff is not a good idea and not good happens after midnight

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Meghan Markle’s Possible UK Return Sparks Renewed Attention on Sussex Role
Starmer Convenes Urgent Talks on Cost-of-Living Pressures Linked to Iran Conflict
Starmer Convenes Urgent Talks on Cost-of-Living Pressures Linked to Iran Conflict
UK Investors Eye Bargain Shares Ahead of ISA Deadline Amid Market Volatility
UK Investors Eye Bargain Shares Ahead of ISA Deadline Amid Market Volatility
Northern Lights Expected Over UK Skies Tonight Amid Strong Solar Activity
UK Condemns Iran Missile Strike and Warns Against Threats to British Personnel
UK Warns of Global Flight Disruptions as Iran Conflict Escalates Under Trump’s Leadership
UK Condemns Iran After Missile Strike Targets Strategic Diego Garcia Base
Deadly Meningitis Outbreak in UK Reinforces Urgency of Vaccination Campaigns
Iran Launches Long-Range Missile Strike on Remote US-UK Base, Signaling Expanded Reach
Iran Launches Long-Range Missile Strike on Remote US-UK Base, Signaling Expanded Reach
UK Rules Out Cyprus Base Role in Joint US Self-Defence Framework
UK Ends Hereditary Peerage Rights in Parliament in Historic Constitutional Reform
Lord Walney Warns of Expanding Iranian Influence Networks Within the United Kingdom
Iranian National Among Two Arrested After Attempt to Access UK Nuclear Submarine Base
Deregulation, Artificial Intelligence, and Fraud Laws Reshape UK Financial Services Landscape
UK Considers Lower Speed Limits to Reduce Fuel Use Amid Escalating Energy Crisis
UK Borrowing Costs Surge to Post-Crisis High as Markets React to Inflation and War Risks
UK Government Prepares Emergency Economic Measures as Iran Conflict Fuels Financial Risks
Meningitis B Outbreak in the UK Raises Urgent Health Warnings as Cases Surge
Iran Issues Stark Warning to Britain Over US Base Access Amid Expanding Conflict
United Kingdom Authorizes US Strikes from British Bases as Iran Threatens Key Shipping Routes
Reform UK Suspends Scottish Candidate Following Financial Misconduct Allegations
Apple issues an unusual warning: this is how your iPhone can be hacked without you doing anything
UK and Nigeria Reach Agreement to Accelerate Return of Irregular Migrants
UK Sets New Aid Priorities Following Significant Budget Reductions
Cyprus President Urges Open Dialogue Over Future of British Sovereign Base Areas
Cyprus President Urges Open Dialogue Over Future of British Sovereign Base Areas
UK Plans 50% Steel Tariffs in Bold Move to Protect Domestic Industry
Iran Conflict Sends Shockwaves Through UK Economy as Energy Costs and Trade Risks Surge
UK Health Officials Warn Kent Meningitis Outbreak Still Active as Cases Continue to Rise
UK Climate Progress Faces Scrutiny Over Reliance on Carbon Accounting Methods
UK Deploys Advisers to United States to Shape Plan for Reopening Strait of Hormuz
Amazon Bets on AI-Driven Alexa Upgrade to Revive UK Smart Speaker Market
UK Abortion Law Changes Spark Strong Response from Church Leaders and Pro-Life Advocates
UK Abortion Law Changes Spark Strong Response from Church Leaders and Pro-Life Advocates
GB News Faces Regulatory Complaints Over On-Air Remarks on ‘Genocide’ Claims
UK Signals Expanded Support for Gulf Allies as Iranian Attacks Intensify Regional Threats
UK VAT Decision Opens Path for Potential Refunds to U.S. Biopharma Firms
UK and Canada Advance ‘Middle Power’ Strategy to Shape Global Influence Beyond Superpowers
Google Explores AI Opt-Out Features in Search to Address UK Regulatory Concerns
Google Explores AI Opt-Out Features in Search to Address UK Regulatory Concerns
UK Fuel Prices Poised to Surge as Global Tensions Drive Oil Market Volatility
UK Fuel Prices Poised to Surge as Global Tensions Drive Oil Market Volatility
UK Holds Back on Hormuz Escort Mission While Continuing Talks with Allies
TrumpRx Pricing Platform Faces Scrutiny as Some Medicines Remain Costlier Than in the UK
UK, Netherlands and Finland Explore Joint Defence Investment Bank to Boost Military Capability
Deadly Meningitis Outbreak in Kent Raises Alarm as Cases Surge and Emergency Response Expands
UK Security Adviser Viewed US-Iran Nuclear Deal as Within Reach Before Sudden Escalation
×