37-year-old Brazilian woman acts like 12, gets adopted, then arrested in 'multi-state fraud scheme'

A 37-year-old woman, Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira, was arrested in Brazil for allegedly posing as a 12-year-old named "Gabriele." She is suspected of at least seven similar scams, using claims of medical conditions and childlike mannerisms to deceive families for up to 14 months.

Authorities linked her to cases across multiple states, noting a history of similar offenses. ...