Myanmar convicts five for trafficking Belarusian model Vera Kravtsova

A Myanmar court has sentenced five Burmese citizens to 21 years in prison with forced labor for their roles in the recruitment and deception of Vera Kravtsova, a 26-year-old Belarusian model and singer.

Kravtsova traveled to Bangkok in September 2025 after seeing advertisements for high-paying modeling work. After flying to Yangon, she lost contact with her family. Reports indicate she was trafficked to a cyber fraud compound near the Thailand-Myanmar border, where she was forced to conduct “romance scams” involving cryptocurrency and gambling.

Media reports and family accounts allege that after failing to meet scam quotas, Kravtsova was sold to an organ trafficking ring, killed, and her body was cremated. Her family reported receiving a $500,000 ransom demand for her remains, which they refused to pay. While the Yangon District Court has convicted five individuals for human trafficking, authorities have not yet officially confirmed the specific allegations regarding organ harvesting.

Arrest warrants have been issued for five other suspects, including two Tajik nationals, who are believed to be involved in the exploitation and forced labor aspects of the case.