Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira faces fraud charges after posing as a 12-year-old child for over 15 years
Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira, a 37-year-old woman, faces charges of fraud and identity theft in Brazil after spending over 15 years posing as a 12-year-old child to live off the kindness of strangers. Investigators discovered that Oliveira, who lived with a couple in Joinville for 14 months, had been deceiving people by adopting a childlike voice and persona. While she admitted to inventing an identity to survive, her defense team argues she caused no financial loss to her victims and was simply seeking the attention and affection she lacked as a child. Oliveira's elaborate fraud was revealed after a relative of her hosts became suspicious and contacted the police. She had previously appeared in various locations, including a shelter for children and an online prayer group, where she successfully convinced others she was a preteen runaway. Her lawyers argue that she was a vulnerable person who sought care without intending to scam people for profit. A court in Santa Catarina has found her competent to stand trial, and the proceedings are scheduled to begin this Wednesday.