A 26-year-old Belarusian woman, Vera Kravtsova, has reportedly died after being trafficked under the guise of a modelling career, with some reports claiming her organs were sold on the black market.
Kravtsova, who had recently moved from Minsk to St. Petersburg, Russia, had applied for a modelling job in Bangkok.
Her goal was to build a career on Thailand’s high-end runways, but according to multiple reports, the opportunity turned into a nightmare.
Instead of working in fashion, Kravtsova was allegedly taken to Myanmar in September 2025, where she was forced to work in a so-called “scam centre.”
These operations reportedly involve coercing young women into defrauding wealthy online victims.
Victims are allegedly required to surrender passports and phones, limiting contact with family or authorities, The Voice magazine reports.
Alleged exploitation and threats
Reports suggest Kravtsova’s traffickers pressured her to use her appearance to manipulate and extort money from clients.
When she could no longer generate income, her whereabouts became unknown.
Weeks later, her family was allegedly informed of her death and told that retrieving her body would cost a large sum of money.
They were later reportedly told her body had been cremated.
Online Russian media outlet SHOT reported that unknown sources told Kravtsova’s family she had been sold for her organs, though these claims have not been independently verified, The Sun details.
Similar cases highlight ongoing trafficking risks
Kravtsova’s story echoes other reported cases in the region.
Dashinima Ochirnimayeva, 24, from Siberia, was reportedly recruited for a modelling job in Thailand and then illegally trafficked to Myanmar. Unlike Kravtsova, Ochirnimayeva was rescued by Russian diplomats, Russian media reported at the time.
Ochirnimayeva and other alleged victims were reportedly taken to camps near the Myanmar border where traffickers forced them into fraudulent activities and extortion schemes.
Russian officials confirmed that young women were sometimes lured with promises of legitimate work before being coerced into exploitative situations.
Warnings for potential victims
Authorities and NGOs warn that traffickers in Southeast Asia are increasingly targeting foreigners through online job offers. Potential warning signs include:
- Job offers requiring travel to remote locations or bordering countries
- Requests to surrender passports or personal identification
- Jobs that emphasize appearance as the main qualification
- Lack of official contracts or verifiable company information
- Pressure to engage in financial transactions or scams
Experts advise young women seeking modelling or entertainment careers abroad to verify agencies, insist on contracts, and maintain regular communication with family or trusted contacts.
Kravtsova’s death and similar cases underscore the dangers of human trafficking in Southeast Asia, where victims are often lured with false promises and subjected to exploitation, forced labour, or worse.
Governments and international organizations continue to work on prevention and rescue efforts, but families remain at the forefront of raising awareness about these risks.