Netflix’s “Dom de Iludir,” starring Marieta Severo, Nanda Costa and Alice Wegmann, centres on a fraud in Brazil’s high-end art world. The 10-episode suspense series follows collector Lúcia Rossetti, played by Severo, as she seeks a spiritual treatment for her daughter Maíra, played by Wegmann. Their search for a cure leads them into a major financial scam.
Netflix has not confirmed that the story is based on real events. However, the plot recalls a case in Rio de Janeiro in 2022, when a group defrauded an 82-year-old woman of around R$725 million in jewellery, artworks and cash. The group was organised by the woman’s daughter, Sabine Boghici.
In the Boghici case, Geneviève Boghici was approached by a woman posing as a clairvoyant, who claimed her daughter was ill and would soon die. Geneviève was persuaded to pay for spiritual treatment, with her daughter also encouraging the payments. Sabine later isolated her mother from others, including former employees. When Geneviève began questioning what was happening, she was assaulted and threatened.
Criminal lawyer Lorena Pontes told CNN Brasil that emotional manipulation can make victims unaware they are being deceived, particularly when they trust the person responsible. She said such conduct may constitute fraud and, when accompanied by threats or violence, may involve additional crimes. Pontes added that scams can occur within family or romantic relationships, not only between strangers, and said recognising warning signs can help stop abuse.
Sources: CNN Brasil.