Woman Who Poisoned Lookalike's Cheesecake Convicted Of Attempted Murder In New York

A woman in New York has been convicted of attempted murder and several other charges after poisoning the cheesecake of her lookalike in an identity theft plot.

Viktoria Nasyrova, 47, was found guilty of attempted murder, unlawful imprisonment, assault, and petit larceny on Thursday after trying to kill Olga Tsvyk in 2016 with a cheesecake poisoned with a strong sedative.

The two women resembled one another with similar skin complexion, dark hair, and other physical traits. They were Russian speakers, and Nasyrova allegedly hoped to assume Tsvyk's identity after her death.

The incident occurred on Aug. 28, 2016, at Tsvyk's home in Forest Hills, Queens. Nasyrova offered Tsvyk a piece of cheesecake that was laced with phenazepam, a potent sedative.

The victim began to feel sick shortly after eating the dessert and went to lie down. The last thing Tsvyk saw before losing consciousness was Nasyrova walking around her room.

Tsvyk was discovered by a friend the following day with pills scattered around her body to look like she committed suicide. She was transported to the hospital and treated by doctors.

However, when the victim returned home, she discovered her work authorization card, passport, gold ring, and other valuables were missing.

"The jury saw through the deception and schemes of the defendant," Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a statement following the conviction.

"She laced a slice of cheesecake with a deadly drug so she could steal her unsuspecting victim's most valuable possession, her identity. Fortunately, her victim survived, and the poison led right back to the culprit."

Nasyrova is scheduled to be sentenced on March 21 and faces up to 25 years in prison.

This isn't the first time Nasyrova has been linked to a crime. In 2014, she was accused of killing a neighbor in her native Russia and stealing the victim's life savings. Nasyrova reportedly fled to New York to avoid facing charges.