Daniela Marys Costa Oliveira, 35, from Minas Gerais, Brazil, was sentenced on Wednesday (12) in Cambodia to 2 years and 6 months in prison for drug possession and use. She remains eligible to appeal the sentence.
Her sister, Lorena Oliveira, told the g1 news portal that Daniela was a victim of a human trafficking scheme. According to Lorena, when Daniela refused to participate in scams, drugs were allegedly planted in her belongings, leading to her arrest in March.
“The UFMG Law Clinic, which supports and advises us, is already aware of the case and will prepare everything necessary. My sister is innocent and is being wronged. We cannot forget that she was a victim of human trafficking,” Lorena said.
Daniela had moved from Belo Horizonte to João Pessoa before seeking opportunities abroad. She reportedly found a telemarketing job in Cambodia. Upon arrival, her passport was confiscated, and she realized the job involved conducting online scams.
“She decided to leave because it didn’t seem legal, but the people who hired her retaliated. On March 26th, police arrived at her room and found three pills that weren’t hers, resulting in her arrest,” Lorena said.
Following her arrest, the scammers allegedly continued to impersonate Daniela on WhatsApp, defrauding her family of R$27,000.
