And finally… Brazil nut | Scottish Legal News
A Brazilian woman who posed as a 12-year-old autistic girl for more than a year to secure free accommodation has been jailed for fraud.
Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira, now 38, allegedly used a doll, pacifier and baby bottle to convince an evangelical couple in Joinville, Santa Catarina, that she was vulnerable and needed help.
She initially presented herself as an 18-year-old seeking work before being introduced to the couple by a pastor. Claiming to be a severely autistic girl called Gabriele, she lived with them for 14 months, with her expenses paid and a bedroom decorated with toys. The couple also held a party for her ‘12th birthday’ and paid for weight-loss drugs.
A relative eventually became suspicious and found reports of a similar case in Rio de Janeiro in 2023. Police subsequently linked Oliveira to scams in several states.
One previous victim, Viviane Henriques, said: “People find it absurd to believe. But, personally, she looked like a teenager, always wearing a coat and hood. She claimed to have autism and spoke in a very childlike way. We were heartbroken.”
Police found searches about “how an autistic person behaves” on Oliveira’s phone.
Investigator Rodrigo Gusso said the case resulted from her “high power of persuasion and empathy”.
“We believe that… there may be new victims,” Gusso told SBT News Brasil. “It is a crime this woman has been committing for many years, therefore the investigation continues.”
A judge rejected her claim that she was mentally ill and not criminally responsible. Oliveira was sentenced to a year-and-a-half in prison.