Home / Crime and Justice / Influencer Drugged, Robbed, and Possibly Assaulted in Brazil's Goodnight Cinderella Scam
Influencer Drugged, Robbed, and Possibly Assaulted in Brazil's Goodnight Cinderella Scam
12 Nov
Summary
- Influencer Cameron Golinsky drugged, robbed, and possibly raped in Rio de Janeiro
- Golinsky woke up two days later with no memory of the incident
- Police have CCTV footage of the suspects and are investigating the case
On October 26, 2025, 35-year-old influencer Cameron Golinsky, who had been living in Rio de Janeiro to learn Portuguese, was the victim of a Goodnight Cinderella scam. Golinsky met two strangers at a bar in Ipanema and accepted their invitation for a beer, but soon began to feel "strangely drunk" despite consuming little alcohol. The men then persuaded Golinsky to bring them back to his rented apartment, where they drugged and robbed him.
Golinsky woke up two days later with no recollection of what had happened. He reported the incident to the police, who confirmed they have CCTV footage of the suspects. Golinsky's bank and email accounts had also been tampered with, and he was robbed of nearly $3,000. The influencer, who has nearly 5,000 followers, said medical tests had confirmed he was negative for sexually transmitted diseases, but he fears he may have been sexually assaulted.
Golinsky is now returning home to Vancouver to seek professional help, stating that his "safety and security are [his] top priorities." The Goodnight Cinderella scam, named after a slang expression in Brazil for being drugged and robbed, is a common tactic used by criminals to target foreign tourists in Rio de Janeiro.
