Brit 'drugged in nightclub scam' actually spent £3,500 on call girls say police

16 December 2023 , 08:06

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Brit 'drugged in nightclub scam' actually spent £3,500 on call girls say police

A British tourist who claimed he'd been drugged and scammed out of £3,500 in a nightclub in Brazil in fact blew the lot on call girls and booze, say police.

Holidaymaker Pretesh Vagdia, 48, said the club in Copacabana had doped him and run up a huge charge on his credit card. Vagdia, said to work in public transport in London, was at first believed to have fallen victim to what police in Brazil call a 'Good night, Cinderella' scam.

But video footage from the hostess club's CCTV security cameras show shaven-headed Vagdia apparently having the time of his life. As he stands at the bar with a hostess in a low cut dress he orders drinks while she gyrates her rear end into his crotch. Later footage obtained by police shows him and two call girls trying to check into a hotel.

British tourist Pretesh Vagdia, 48, who reportedly works in public transport in London, claimed he had been the victim of the "Goodnight, Cinderella" scam (Jam Press)

Police say the trio had to leave because Vagdia's wife had by then cancelled his credit card, but he showed no sign of being drugged. It's alleged Vagdia cooked up the doping story and cancelled the £3,500 payment to hide his wild night out on November 17 from his wife. Now the hapless holidaymaker, who is believed to have fled Brazil, is wanted for questioning on lying to police and defrauding the nightclub.

In this later footage he's seen trying to check in to a hotel with the two call girls (Jam Press)

CEN obtained a statement from Brazilian police on December 14 saying : "The Special Tourism Support Delegation (DEAT) investigates a British tourist for falsely reporting a crime and embezzlement. He claimed to have been a victim of the 'Good night, Cinderella' scam, which had caused him a loss of BRL 22,000. The information, in fact, was a lie."

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He was seen walking and talking normally, meaning the story about him being drugged was false (Jam Press)

It went on: " After field investigation, intelligence and data crossing, the agents verified that what happened did not correspond to the tourist's report. On the day in question, the man went to a nightclub in Copacabana, in the South Zone, where he stayed until 7am. At the establishment, he had fun and consumed alcoholic drinks with several dancers."

"After leaving the club, in the company of two of the dancers, he tried to stay in a hotel, which was not possible because the British man's wife, who was in the apartment rented by the couple, noticed an unusual movement on her husband's credit card. and requested bank blocking. Images obtained by DEAT police officers show the alleged robbery victim leaving the hotel, shortly afterwards, in a calm manner, still accompanied by the two women.

The London transport worker seen at the bar ordering drinks with one of the escorts (Jam Press)

"Therefore the scam called 'Good night, Cinderella' did not occur. Shortly afterwards, the tourist arrived at the apartment and told his wife that he had been a victim of the crime."

Police spokesperson Patricia Alemany said: "People have to understand that it is a crime to go to the police to [falsely] report a crime as serious as this. In this case, he is also being investigated for embezzlement. Since he paid for the nightclub and immediately suspended the amount paid."

Ryan Fahey