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Chico Felitti
After finishing the series, I couldn't stop thinking about one person. No, not Kat. Though I did think about her a lot. I found myself thinking about a young woman who became enamored by Kat. Someone who got close to her. Very close. The woman's name is Leticia. Leticia Tupinoba. The other Leticia who came close to joining Kat in that big house in Texas. We didn't hear about her in the podcast, but she almost became one of Kat's victims. So I reached out to her. She was living in New York City, so she joined me from a studio in Brooklyn, and what she told me gave me more insight into Kat's appeal.
Leticia Tupinoba
Doesn't matter what kind of problems you have, she would give you the solution. She would solve your problems.
Chico Felitti
I'm Chico Felitti, and this is a bonus episode of Don't Cross Cat.
Kristen Thorne
Last year, long crime brought you the trial that captivated the nation. And one question still lingers. Did Karen reed kill John O'Keefe? This isn't just a retrial. It's a second chance at the truth. Listen to episodes of the retrial exclusively and ad free on Wondery.
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Chico Felitti
Hi, Leticia. Thank you so much for being here. It's nice to see you again.
Leticia Tupinoba
Nice to see you again. Thank you.
Chico Felitti
Just to clarify for the listeners, we met twice in New York City, is that right?
Leticia Tupinoba
Yes, they're correct.
Chico Felitti
Let's start from the beginning, if that's okay. Can you walk me through the day you found out who Kat Torres was when you first saw her on the Internet?
Leticia Tupinoba
Yeah, the first time I saw her, it was through her meme page on Instagram.
Chico Felitti
Like you, many people met Kat through memes. So did I. I mean, there were memes like pictures of her looking disheveled and looking tired and saying, have you ever kissed in the rain? So people thought Kat Taurus was a Shutterstock model. Many of us did not know she was a real person.
Leticia Tupinoba
Right, Exactly. Yeah. And it was just like you said, just photos of her doing, like some kind of expressions like crying or smile or being upset or sometimes she was lying on the floor and dad jokes.
Chico Felitti
Right, so those pictures covered with dad jokes.
Leticia Tupinoba
Yeah, yeah. And it was funny. Like I love those kind of memes. And then when I found out she actually was a true person, I was like, okay, she's real interesting. She's a model. Okay, nice. And she's a life coach. That is interesting.
Chico Felitti
And what were the first posts you came across online? What were the first pictures or videos you saw of the life coach categories? Not the meme categories.
Leticia Tupinoba
At that point she wasn't posting nice photos. It was like kind of random photos. But she was writing texts. She was putting like a nice message to people.
Chico Felitti
She was actually taking them out of self help books. Yeah, those were snippets for little. Yes. She would take them from books and translate to Portuguese. We came to find out. It's really interesting that you got in touch with her. And it wasn't the image that drawing you, it was the writings.
Leticia Tupinoba
Yes.
Chico Felitti
When did you start exchanging messages with her? Because first you're just following the profile, right?
Leticia Tupinoba
Yes.
Chico Felitti
And then when do you start writing.
Leticia Tupinoba
Her and when she writes back, it was 2019.
Chico Felitti
So you had been following her for about a year, right?
Leticia Tupinoba
Yeah. Before getting in touch with her? Yes.
Chico Felitti
And what made you decide to get in touch with her?
Leticia Tupinoba
She was selling her consultations. They doesn't matter what kind of problems you have, she would give you the solution, she would solve your problems. If she's really good, as she's saying, I want to know.
Chico Felitti
And what were your problems at that time? How was your life when you started following cat tourists?
Leticia Tupinoba
It was problems, of course, but it wasn't like, oh my God, I'm gonna die or whatever. I started to have a relationship, no mom, dad to give me like good advice around. So I was getting advice from her.
Chico Felitti
And what were the problems you were facing with your relationship with your back then boyfriend?
Leticia Tupinoba
I was his first girlfriend and he was my first boyfriend. So we were both young and immature. And you didn't know how to handle with a relationship.
Chico Felitti
What was the conversation like with Katharis?
Leticia Tupinoba
It wasn't nothing crazy at all. At first she was using things that work from psychology, science. And then you were saying like that actually works and you were giving her the credits for that. I was talking to her and she was telling me to behave in a certain way, but actually the behavior was creating more problems.
Chico Felitti
And what would she tell you to behave like? What was the type of girlfriend she would advise you to be?
Leticia Tupinoba
I remember she telling being kind of toxic during that time when I started to talk to her. We were breaking up and come back again. Breaking up and come back again, like, several times. And then I was going back to her and say, like, I want him back. I need him back. And she was like, hey, we're going to bring him back. And actually, she was bringing him back. So that is how she had me, you know, like, okay, but he's coming back. So she must be right. She was so good and read between the lines what we were telling her. And then she was manipulating me. And at some point, I think she was creating the insecure in myself.
Chico Felitti
She advised you to be insecure and to be sort of jealous of him, Is that right?
Leticia Tupinoba
Yeah, yeah, exactly. And then we're starting to be toxic to each other.
Chico Felitti
And how did this relationship end?
Leticia Tupinoba
Awful.
Chico Felitti
If I recall right, you were also having troubles with the college you were going to. Right?
Leticia Tupinoba
I had an existential crisis. About what? I was studying Brazil, because I was studying petroleum engineering. I was in the middle of the program already, and I was like, okay, I'm not happy at all with that. I'm not sure if I want to do that for the rest of my life. We started to talk about that during our consultations. And she told me that I shouldn't be a study engineer at all. I shouldn't work with my beauty or be an influencer on Instagram. She said that once, yeah, you don't fit for being engineer. Engineers. They are all ugly. Just ugly people. You were pretty. You should do something else.
Chico Felitti
And you were studying at a really, really good school. How did you feel when she said that to you? And did you want to be an influencer? How did that sound to you?
Leticia Tupinoba
I'm not gonna lie. Sounds like, okay, that's nice. Just be influencer. Be at home taking pictures, you know? But I was like, okay, interesting. But I still like thinking I needed my diploma. But she was like, no, you don't need graduation. I was like, maybe trying to convince myself I don't need that. But I don't know if I can live with the fact that I don't have.
Chico Felitti
How much would you pay for a session with her? For a consultation with her?
Leticia Tupinoba
Back in the day, it was $100. I don't remember if I paid more than that. 150, maybe.
Chico Felitti
And how many times a week would you meet her?
Leticia Tupinoba
No more than once a week. Maybe two or three a month. But not more than that because it was like, 100 for Brazilian currencies is high. And now it's even worse.
Chico Felitti
It's so Much. It's half of a monthly minimum wage in Brazil, $100. The monthly minimum wage in Brazil currently is 200. About $200. A little bit more than that, but it's a lot of money, especially if you're a student like yourself, living in a new city 2,000 miles away from your family. How did you get this money?
Leticia Tupinoba
My parents. Because at that time I wasn't working. I was full time at college. And then she bring in the idea to come to us. And I was like, okay, sounds good. I can go to US and I can study English.
Chico Felitti
And how would you make a living? Did she offer you a job? Did she say what you would do for work?
Leticia Tupinoba
No. First she told me what I should do. She worked out on a plan and she was like, you can come to us. You can stay in Newark, that is a city in New Jersey, is close to New York, because they have the train from Newark to New York and you can go to New York to dating the guys.
Chico Felitti
And when did you decide you were going to the United States?
Leticia Tupinoba
It was the beginning of 2021. Everything worked out perfectly. I got the approvement to come. And then she quickly answered me back and telling me that she and her assistant, would you like to talk to me? And I thought, would it be for a consultation? And I was like, I don't have money at all. Sorry. But then she told me that would be for free. We made it a FaceTime call. Like, she invite me to go to Texas and stay with her.
Chico Felitti
And what was she offering? Did she tell you something like, you can live in my house in Leander? What was the proposition there?
Leticia Tupinoba
She was telling me that I could stay with her. Her husband was working on, like, building like a village to do a Airbnb and they would like me to be part of the project and then I wouldn't work for her. And I was like, okay. But like, would it be her assistant? Whatever. Then she bring out, do you have problems in being a sugar baby? And I was like, what? And then she asked, yeah, because the girls here, they made a lot of money being sugar baby. They made like 1,000 a day just talking to guys and hanging out with them, nothing else. And she was like, yeah. Then they would come here. We wouldn't live with me wouldn't pay for the accommodation, wouldn't pay for food, for rent, and the home money I should give to her, she would invest the money in the village to their Airbnb. I was like, okay, I'm gonna work for you.
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Chico Felitti
I'm Chico Felitti and this is a bonus episode of Don't Cross Kat. Let's get back to my conversation with Leticia to Pinabas. Before the break, Kat had told Leticia that once she moved to Texas, she would work as a sugar baby and give all her earnings to Katie.
Leticia Tupinoba
I got so in shock what she was telling me. She's so manipulative, I couldn't even answer her back. She didn't give me the chance to say yes or no because the way she was telling me it wasn't the way. I was already agreeing with her. Everything she was saying at that point I was, how am I gonna get the fuck out of here? Because she sounds so crazy right now. I've been seeing her cursing people on Internet and putting like spells and cursed on people and I got scared with that and I was like, I don't want to be exposed by her on her social media and then have a lot of her Followers coming back to me, throwing their hate on me, and I was like, okay, I just follow the flow and wait for the perfect moment to get out of this situation.
Chico Felitti
You just were afraid of what she could do to you if you said no to her.
Leticia Tupinoba
Yeah.
Chico Felitti
Prior coming to the US you actually met Leticia for an alien bath. Is that so? Can you describe what happened there?
Leticia Tupinoba
Yes. During that conversation with her and Leticia, her assistants, she told me, yes. So we're gonna come here to my house and in Texas right away, like, so I want you meeting my assistant in Brazil, because I want you to meet her so she can do that for you and you can get here with your energy, open to money. So everything's gonna work out perfectly. And then she came to Sao Paulo. We meet up to do the bath Witchcraftcraft place.
Chico Felitti
The alien bath? Yeah, the Witchcraft alien bath, yes.
Leticia Tupinoba
And then I grabbed her at the station, and then we went to a motel. So we got one of those that had the bath. She was putting the lights low and putting music and then putting the water in the bath. And then she was prepared the herbs and the leaves to put it in the bath.
Chico Felitti
And did you feel anything while you were soaking in the alien bath?
Leticia Tupinoba
Not really. She was just telling me to manifest and think about things like imagining you over there in the US and bringing this whole money home.
Chico Felitti
Soon after that alien bath. A couple weeks after you moved from Brazil to the U.S. yes. And can you describe how was that move and what happened when you got there?
Leticia Tupinoba
By that time, I was still in touch with her assistant, and Katie was, like, freaking out. She was having one of her mental crises. And then when I got in here in US I think just one week later, she texted me, telling me that she was seeing my energy and the voice and was also telling her I wasn't prepared to go to Texas and stay with her. I should stay where I was here in New York, and they wouldn't be there for me whenever I need help and that I should have paid for the bath. Wishes, craft. It was $7,000.
Chico Felitti
She kind of let you go, but she wanted to charge you $7,000 for an alien bat.
Leticia Tupinoba
Exactly.
Chico Felitti
And why did you reply?
Leticia Tupinoba
I just did what I've done before. Just agree with her. And then I've never talked to her anymore. I didn't have any kind of interaction with her Instagram account. Like, so, like, okay, I'm not gonna do anything right now, so maybe she's gonna forget about me, because if she's not seeing me, she will forget.
Chico Felitti
Why do you think you specifically got away because many other young women weren't able to get away, like Desiree, the other Leticia Jamila, I think, because first.
Leticia Tupinoba
Of all, she saw, like, the chance to grab Miss but I think she gave up about it when she thought I would be a problem for her in the future in the way, like, I wasn't so submissive to her.
Chico Felitti
I think your family support had some sort of role there, didn't it? You were really close to your parents. They were there for you.
Leticia Tupinoba
Yes, yes, that's true as well. I believe that it was one of.
Chico Felitti
The reasons, in looking back, how did your time with Kat impact your personally or psychologically? How do you look back at this experience of almost being a victim of human trafficking?
Leticia Tupinoba
I feel grateful. And as we say, America is a crazy shit, but I feel grateful that I didn't go through this and I had my family support. Every time I see something, I heard stories, and also I go back to that. I think, could it be me there? And I feel like, okay, this is crazy. But I think now I feel grateful and I want to help. I want to talk about it because people need to be more aware what is going on, especially in social media, when people pretend they have the life they don't have and they're gonna help you. And actually they don't want to help you at all. They just want your money.
Chico Felitti
And why do you think that influencers, like cat tourists, have so much power nowadays?
Leticia Tupinoba
Because they sell a kind of lifestyle that is good, but. But it's not true. They just post the good part of their lives, or sometimes it's. Everything's fake and we don't know. We're not there. We're just seeing one picture, one image of that time. And you don't know the context behind the photo or that post or that video.
Chico Felitti
Do you still want to be an influencer yourself?
Leticia Tupinoba
No, I want to work with entertainment but not be a influencer. I don't know if I would have been able to handle with the famous stuff. Now when I think about it, I'm like, I'm not sure if I can handle with that.
Chico Felitti
And now do you still follow influencers on Instagram, TikTok, or are you done with that kind of content?
Leticia Tupinoba
No, I follow them, but I have a better relationship, let's say with that. I use it more just to spend my time, like, not to fall on. Fall on, like, everything. But it's more like, okay, there's good advice. I will try it, or I will try that technique. To work out or to get my hair done or my makeup done and that if I need something for my life like advice through my life or helping mental insure issue, I go through my therapist, my psychologist. I real well you go the right.
Chico Felitti
Way, you look the right person for the right job.
Leticia Tupinoba
Now I'm with a really good professionals for mental health and also my body with workout personal training. I'm on track now.
Chico Felitti
I'm happy to hear that. And how was the feeling when you found out Kat had been arrested and later convicted?
Leticia Tupinoba
I got happy. Thank God she's where she deserves but I hope she gets more time because I don't think eight years is enough of everything she did.
Chico Felitti
Leticia, I appreciate so much your time. Thanks so much for talking to me. I wish you the best life in.
Leticia Tupinoba
The U.S. thank you foreign.
Chico Felitti
Follow Don't Cross Cat on the Wondery app, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes early and ad free right now by joining Wondery in the Wondery App or Apple Podcasts. Before you go, tell us about yourself by completing a short survey@wondery.com survey if you have a tip about a story you think we should investigate, please write to us@wondery.com tips from Wondery. This is a bonus episode of Don't Cross Cat. Don't Cross Cat is hosted and reported by me, Chico Felitti. Producer is Andres Caballero. Senior producer is Fernanda Echafari. Associate producers are Giovanna Romanust Sanchez and Otavio Bonfa. Additional production assistance by Beatriz Trevisa and Elizabeth Lowenthal Torres. Theme song by Mariana Romano mixing by Stephanie LeBeau. Sound supervisor is Marcelino Vialpondo, Project Manager is Nancy Trujillo and supervising Senior Production Manager is Jessica Ellis. Managing Producer is Heather Baloga. Development Producer is Olivia Weber, Senior Development Editor is Rachel B. Doyle. Production services by Futuru Studios Executive producers for Futuru Studios are Marlon Bishop and Maria Garcia. Executive producers for Wondery are Russell Finch, George Lavender Marshall Louie and Jen Sargent.
Kristen Thorne
Last year law and crime brought you the trial that captivated the nation. She's accused of hitting her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, with her car. Karen Reed is arrested and charged with second degree murder. The six week trial resulted in anything but resolution.
Leticia Tupinoba
We continue to find ourselves at an impasse. I'm declaring a mistrial in this case.
Kristen Thorne
But now the case is back in the spotlight and one question still lingers. Did Karen Reed kill John O'Keefe?
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The evidence is overwhelming that Karen Reid is innocent.
Leticia Tupinoba
How does it feel to be a cop killer, Karen?
Kristen Thorne
I'm Kristen Thorne, investigative reporter with Law and Crime and host of the podcast the Retrial. This isn't just a retrial. It's a second chance at the truth. I have nothing to hide. My life is in the balance, and it shouldn't be.
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I just want people to go back.
Chico Felitti
To who the victim is in this. It's not her.
Kristen Thorne
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Guru: Don't Cross Kat - Episode Summary: "The One Who Got Away" (Episode 7)
In the seventh episode of Wondery's gripping series Guru: Don't Cross Kat, titled "The One Who Got Away," journalist Chico Felitti delves deep into the harrowing experience of Leticia Tupinoba, a young woman who narrowly escaped becoming one of Kat Torres' victims. This episode uncovers the manipulative tactics of Kat Torres, a modern-day influencer whose facade of perfection masks a dark and dangerous underbelly.
Chico Felitti opens the episode by introducing Leticia Tupinoba, a pivotal figure whose near-enslavement by Kat Torres nearly ended tragically. Leticia’s willingness to share her story provides a rare glimpse into the psychological manipulation orchestrated by Kat, making this episode a crucial addition to the series' exploration of influence and control.
Notable Quote:
"I almost became one of Kat's victims."
– Chico Felitti (02:16)
Leticia recounts her first encounter with Kat Torres through Instagram memes. Initially, Kat presented herself as a relatable figure through disheveled and emotive images paired with humorous captions, which appealed to many followers without revealing her true identity.
Key Points:
Notable Quotes:
"It was through her meme page on Instagram."
– Leticia Tupinoba (02:32)
"She's a model. Okay, nice. And she's a life coach. That is interesting."
– Leticia Tupinoba (03:10)
After a year of following Kat’s content, Leticia decided to engage more personally by purchasing consultations. Kat positioned herself as a problem-solver, offering solutions to Leticia's personal and academic struggles.
Key Points:
Notable Quotes:
"She would solve your problems."
– Leticia Tupinoba (04:12)
"She said that I shouldn't be a study engineer at all. I shouldn't work with my beauty or be an influencer on Instagram."
– Leticia Tupinoba (07:09)
Kat Torres extended an enticing yet sinister offer to Leticia: relocate to Texas to work as a sugar baby, contributing all earnings to Kat’s projects. This proposition was couched in spiritual and mystical terms, including participation in an "alien bath" ritual intended to manipulate Leticia's energy and ensure compliance.
Key Points:
Notable Quotes:
"I couldn't even answer her back because she sounded so crazy right now."
– Leticia Tupinoba (14:43)
"How am I gonna get the fuck out of here?"
– Leticia Tupinoba (14:43)
Despite the intense manipulation, Leticia managed to extricate herself from Kat’s influence. She describes feeling shocked and scared by Kat’s coercive tactics but found the strength to sever ties, largely thanks to her supportive family and personal resilience.
Key Points:
Notable Quotes:
"I got happy. Thank God she's where she deserves but I hope she gets more time because I don't think eight years is enough of everything she did."
– Leticia Tupinoba (22:39)
"I feel like, this is crazy. But I think now I feel grateful and I want to help."
– Leticia Tupinoba (19:50)
In reflecting on her ordeal, Leticia emphasizes the dangers of blind trust in social media influencers and the importance of critical thinking and professional mental health support. She advocates for greater awareness of the deceptive practices employed by individuals like Kat Torres.
Key Points:
Notable Quotes:
"People need to be more aware what is going on, especially in social media, when people pretend they have the life they don't have and they're gonna help you. And actually they don't want to help you at all. They just want your money."
– Leticia Tupinoba (19:50)
"I use it more just to spend my time, like, not to fall on everything. But it's more like, okay, there's good advice."
– Leticia Tupinoba (21:39)
Leticia concludes her testimony by expressing relief and gratitude for escaping Kat Torres’ manipulative influence. She remains vigilant against similar threats and continues to advocate for truth and transparency in the influencer space.
Key Points:
Notable Quote:
"I feel grateful that I didn't go through this and I had my family support."
– Leticia Tupinoba (19:50)
Episode Takeaways: "The One Who Got Away" is a compelling exploration of the dark side of influencer culture, illustrating how individuals like Kat Torres can exploit followers' vulnerabilities for personal gain. Leticia Tupinoba's harrowing experience underscores the need for critical engagement with online content and the importance of seeking professional support when navigating personal challenges. This episode serves as a crucial reminder of the potential dangers lurking behind seemingly perfect online personas and the resilience required to break free from such manipulative influences.
Produced by: Andres Caballero
Senior Producer: Fernanda Echafari
Additional Production Assistance: Beatriz Trevisa, Elizabeth Lowenthal Torres
Theme Song: Mariana Romano
Sound Supervisor: Marcelino Vialpondo
Executive Producers for Wondery: Russell Finch, George Lavender Marshall Louie, Jen Sargent