Italy: fake chef on dating site accused of drugging and robbing 68-year-old man near Turin

In Italy, a woman posing as a private chef on a dating platform is accused of drugging a 68-year-old man with benzodiazepines before robbing him at his home near Turin.

A case reported in Italy is once again showing how online dating encounters can turn into serious criminal investigations. According to Corriere Torino, a woman presenting herself as Francesca on a dating site, where she claimed to be a professional chef able to prepare high-level dinners, is accused of using that profile to trap a 68-year-old man from Venaria Reale near Turin.

Investigators say the man invited her to his home after meeting her through the platform. She allegedly cooked spaghetti for him as part of what appeared to be a private dinner, but the meal was allegedly used to sedate him with benzodiazepines before a robbery took place. The alarm was raised by the victim’s son after he could no longer reach his father. Carabinieri officers found the 68-year-old drugged in his bedroom. According to the report, 10,000 euros in cash, a watch, documents and bank cards were missing from the house.

One of the main pieces of evidence was the pot of spaghetti still left on the kitchen table. Analysis of the food reportedly found traces of benzodiazepines, the same substance also identified in the victim’s body. That detail, combined with the suspect’s self-presentation as a skilled chef on the dating platform, helped investigators reconstruct the alleged method used in the attack.

The investigation also pointed to the involvement of an alleged accomplice described as the suspect’s partner. Surveillance footage and the tracing of payments made with the victim’s cards reportedly linked a 63-year-old man to the case. During a search of the couple’s home, authorities found more than 8,000 euros in cash, psychotropic drugs, items allegedly stolen from the victim and phones registered under false names.

The case took an additional turn when investigators concluded that the woman had also falsely claimed to be severely disabled in order to obtain official recognition of permanent disability. Surveillance images allegedly showed her fleeing on foot with the stolen goods, contradicting that claim. Corriere Torino also reported that a handwritten list of potential targets was found, reinforcing the theory that the acts were premeditated. The two suspects, aged 49 and 63, were placed in pretrial detention, and investigators have not ruled out the possibility of other victims.