A social media influencer known for showcasing her curvaceous figure to thousands of followers on TikTok has been apprehended by Brazilian police, along with her boyfriend, for their alleged involvement in a series of bank robberies.
Karina Laino Gomes, boasting a TikTok following of over 63,000, and her boyfriend Edmilson Souza da Silva were taken into custody in Rio de Janeiro on June 7.
Dubbed as the TikTok Bonnie and Clyde, the couple faces charges of robbing individuals who were on their way to deposit or withdraw money from ATMs at various banks. Investigators revealed that Gomes played the role of luring victims into a false sense of security, while another member of their gang would rob them at gunpoint, as captured in a chilling surveillance video. Their modus operandi involved a getaway driver stationed in front of each targeted bank, ready to assist the gang’s swift escape.
Law enforcement had been monitoring Gomes and her accomplices since the end of May, following a surge in such audacious crimes. This week, a bank’s security team in the Realengo neighborhood tipped off the authorities about a suspicious vehicle, a Hyundai HB20, parked outside their premises.
Upon arrival at the scene, police thwarted the couple’s attempted escape, apprehending them just a few steps away from the bank. The authorities confiscated a loaded .38-caliber handgun found in their possession.
Gomes and her boyfriend have since confessed to their involvement in the robberies and have provided information about four other accomplices who are currently being pursued by law enforcement. They will remain in police custody until the conclusion of the investigation.
In addition to her TikTok presence, Gomes had amassed 50,000 followers on Instagram before her account was suspended on June 9 following her arrest, effectively putting her in both virtual and real-life confinement.
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The influencer-turned-criminal frequently posted images flaunting her ample physique and extravagant lifestyle. Among her photos was one in which she posed with a replica firearm, while another featured her digitally superimposed behind animated prison bars, playfully commenting, “If being jealous, possessive, crazy, and neurotic were crimes.”
