From Instagram influencer to slave trafficker: Kat Torres - who featured on international magazine covers and partied with Leonardo DiCaprio - is jailed for luring model to US to be sexually exploited

From humble beginnings, Kat Torres would flooded utmost poorness to lead a coveted life of luxury, brushing shoulders pinch A-list celebrities and overseas oligarchs - and 'coaching' immoderate 14,000 clients successful really to execute greatness.

But down nan scenes, nan Brazilian 'wellness' influencer and exemplary had schemed a acold much sinister scheme to ensnare her followers successful a cultish web of quality trafficking and slavery, a judge concluded arsenic she was sentenced to years successful situation past month.

Katiuscia Torres was deported backmost to Brazil and arrested successful November 2022 arsenic allegations emerged astir her life down closed doors successful nan United States. After much than 18 months successful jail, she was yet sentenced to 8 years successful situation for subjecting 1 follower to quality trafficking and slavery, a judge assessing nan unfortunate had been lured overseas for intersexual exploitation.

Ms Torres, a self-proclaimed witch reportedly inspired by belief leaders and business coaches, is accused of enticing impressionable victims to her location to activity for her unpaid. One unfortunate said they were utilized arsenic a home 'slave', 'terrified' of nan female proclaiming to thief her. Another claimed she was threatened pinch curses, told to activity successful a portion nine for money withheld by Ms Torres.

In a new BBC documentary, nan guru maintained her innocence from situation successful Rio de Janeiro. But pinch much than 20 women now claiming to person been scammed aliases exploited, horrifying revelations proceed to look astir nan bizarre life of nan Instagram influencer erstwhile an inspiration to millions.

At her height, Katiuscia Torres Soares commanded a pursuing of 1.2million subscribers connected Instagram, sharing wholesome, inspirational posts and life proposal connected relationships, business and wellness.

Hailing from Belem successful bluish Brazil, Ms Torres' communicative was itself inspirational. As a kid from an impoverished background, she showed early ambition arsenic a exemplary going connected to airs successful beauty pageants earlier moving to Europe to further her career.

During her rise, Ms Torres moved to Los Angeles to prosecute an acting career, and documented her travel and influencer manner online, amassing a loyal following.

It was aft taking nan powerful psychedelic supplier ayahuasca that Ms Torres 'reinvented herself' arsenic a life coach and hypnotist, according to Vice. In 2017 she published a self-help book called 'A Voice', and appeared connected Brazilian tv claiming she had ever been guided by a 'voice from above', a belief relationship that guided her work.

Online, nan influencer painted herself arsenic an accomplished actor, model, writer and coach - and watched her pursuing swell from 1,000 to arsenic galore arsenic 14,000, she claims.

Many were Brazilian women hoping to study from her, and paying immense sums for her advice. Early on, online consultations 'started astatine $150', according to nan BBC. But she would soon beryllium capable to complaint overmuch much for her services. The 'most purchased' yearly 'plan', according to her website, was weighted astatine R$700 - astir £100.

Ms Torres built an extended web of connections passim her rise. In 2013, aged 24 and moving arsenic a exemplary successful Paris, she implied she was making love Leonardo DiCaprio while staying astatine a location successful Cannes.

The brace were photographed together, surrounded by security, astatine nan event. At first, she shied distant from straight confirming immoderate specifications astir their relationship, claiming they had a pact not to publically opportunity anything.

A root adjacent to DiCaprio told MailOnline astatine nan clip that he was not making love Torres and her communicative is 'completely false'. She later backtracked distant from nan comments.

Sources told nan BBC Ms Torres besides knew oligarchs, and elder figures successful finance and government. 

But down nan scenes, horrifying accounts of quality trafficking and slavery were opening to compile. Colborn Bell, her ex-husband, told nan BBC Ms Torres was a 'by meaning a maestro manipulator'. Luzer Twersky, her erstwhile roommate, said she became an 'absolute narcissistic monster' arsenic her pursuing grew.

One erstwhile customer told nan broadcaster that she was recruited to subordinate Ms Torres successful New York to execute family chores arsenic a live-in assistant. 

Ana, who had near an abusive narration earlier joining Ms Torres, described 3 months of tyranny, claiming she was unpaid and was only capable to slumber erstwhile nan influencer went retired - connected a sofa covered successful feline urine.

Ana near aft 3 months, but Ms Torres kept interaction for 12. The alleged unfortunate said: 'I felt for illustration I'm stuck here. I didn't person a measurement out... now I spot that she was utilizing maine arsenic a slave.'

She said she believed it was her scheme to 'isolate everybody' - and said she became 'terrified' of nan female professing to thief her.

Ms Torres denies that Ana worked successful nan house. 

Similar patterns emerged successful Austin, Texas, aft Ms Torres moved successful 2022. Desirrê Freitas, different erstwhile client, said she received messages from Ms Torres claiming she was suicidal and needed her help.

She said she bought her tickets to recreation crossed nan United States to subordinate her successful Texas - but erstwhile she arrived she said Ms Torres threatened her pinch curses and progressive her successful activity successful a portion club.

Desirrê was not allowed to activity successful nan United States astatine nan time, and she claims Ms Torres told her she would revoke her thief and expenses incurred if she left. 

She said she believed nan occupation would beryllium temporary. She earned thousands of dollars moving successful nan nine - but claims it was withheld by Ms Torres, who only group her higher and higher earning targets.

When she missed nan spiralling targets, she said, she 'ended up sleeping connected nan street'. 

Women staying pinch Ms Torres astatine their rented five-bedroom mansion successful Austin said they were forbidden from speaking pinch each different and could not time off their rooms without permission.

Neighbour Wayne Murray told nan BBC that Ms Torres and her partner kept to themselves while surviving successful Austin, that they 'weren't very friendly'.

After their eviction, allegedly for not paying rent, he claimed to person recovered voodoo dolls among their near belongings, and said location was a room for witchcraft group up successful nan house.

While Ms Torres was still surviving successful Austin, videos would look of those pinch her performing what seemed to beryllium ritualistic exercises, nan young women appearing 'drugged and speaking disconnected phrases', according to O Globo. 

Photos of Desirrê and Letícia Maia Alvarenga, different female convinced to subordinate Ms Torres successful nan US, besides reportedly appeared connected escort websites, their hairsbreadth dyed acheronian blonde for illustration Torres'.

The strategy yet began to unravel when the parents of Desirrê and Leticia declared their children missing, sparking immense searches connected societal media to way them down.

Letícia claimed she had tally distant from maltreatment from her begetter - earlier retracting nan allegation and telling constabulary location had ne'er been immoderate abuse, and that Ms Torres had forced her to grounds nan claims, O Globo reported.

As suspicion grew astir nan murky statement successful Austin, Brazilian apical exemplary Yasmín Brunet came adjacent to pointing a digit astatine Ms Torres aft reference astir nan 'despair of nan families' - earlier receiving a slew of attacks from those surviving pinch Ms Torres, Letícia falsely accusing her of moving a activity worker racket.

Desirrê would later apologise for making mendacious accusations against Brunet, claiming they had besides been made nether duress.

It was yet Brunet who took nan allegations to nan police. The Federal Court of São Paulo issued a preventative apprehension warrant against Ms Torres 'for nan crime of subjecting group to conditions analagous to slavery'. 

Katiuscia Torres Soares was arrested successful Brazil successful November 2022 aft being deported from nan United States. 

Letícia and Desirrê were some besides deported aft being detained successful nan US pinch irregular documentation.

On June 28 of this year, a judge yet sentenced Ms Torres to 8 years successful situation for subjecting Desirrê to quality trafficking and slavery.

Her lawyer told nan BBC that Ms Torres had appealed nan condemnation and maintains her innocence.

As nan BBC secured a uncommon tribunal bid to question and reply Ms Torres successful situation successful April for nan first clip since she was jailed, horrifying specifications and allegations astir nan influencer's emergence and autumn proceed to look from nan testimonies of alleged victims.

Katiuscia Torres Soares inspired millions pinch her communicative of success, rising from insignificance to a world domiciled exemplary tin of captivating a wide religion pinch her promises of thief and guidance.

Her victims, and alleged victims, now pass against nan allure of specified promises, claiming they were successful susceptible positions erstwhile targeted by Ms Torres, and forced into a horrifying underworld of slavery and exploitation.

Today, galore are still undergoing psychiatric curen for nan conditions they opportunity they endured while surviving pinch Ms Torres. The influencer awaits further verdicts connected her early arsenic investigators proceed to probe nan allegations from nan brave women coming forward.

Like, Follow, Trafficked: Insta's Fake Guru is now disposable to watch connected iPlayer. 

If you person been affected by home abuse, you tin interaction Refuge astatine 0808 2000 247.