The 44-year-old woman, who allegedly operated under multiple identities, has become the focus of a sprawling criminal case stretching across both Mexico and the United States.
According to investigators, Phelps conducted her scheme between 2019 and 2022. During that period, authorities believe she used romantic relationships as a gateway to gain access to victims’ personal and financial information.
Law enforcement officials say the alleged crimes went far beyond simple fraud.
Federal authorities have accused Phelps of targeting older individuals in particular, though investigators believe her victim pool was much broader.
An FBI bulletin issued last year warned that Phelps “primarily targeted elderly men” but was also “known to target all age groups as well as women.”
Investigators say she frequently used different names, including Aurora Flores, Aurora Velasco, and Aurora Alvarez, making it more difficult for victims and authorities to connect the dots.
One of the most disturbing allegations involves Robert Erbach, a 67-year-old American retiree living near Guadalajara.
According to authorities, Erbach met Phelps through Tinder. What began as a relationship reportedly lasted several months before tragedy struck.
After approximately three months of dating, Erbach was discovered dead near a roadway outside Guadalajara in 2021.
Investigators allege that more than $50,000 disappeared from his accounts following his death.
His case became one of the central pieces of evidence in the broader investigation into Phelps’ activities.
Authorities now believe there may have been at least 11 victims connected to her alleged scheme.
The case has drawn attention on both sides of the border because of its combination of romance scams, financial crimes, identity theft, and allegations of murder.
Born in Arkansas, Phelps reportedly spent much of her life moving between Mexico and the United States.
Mexican authorities arrested her in February 2023 and charged her with murder. Since then, she has remained behind bars while prosecutors continued building their case.
The United States is also pursuing criminal charges.
Federal prosecutors have accused Phelps of fraud, identity theft, and two kidnapping-related offenses, including one charge involving a death.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada, Phelps allegedly used dating services as the first step in a carefully planned criminal operation.
“Phelps would meet older men on dating websites or services, then meet them in-person,” the office stated.
“It was part of her scheme to drug the older men to gain unauthorized access to and steal money from their financial accounts to personally benefit herself and her family members.”
The allegations paint a chilling picture of a woman who allegedly exploited trust, companionship, and romance to enrich herself at the expense of vulnerable victims.
The story has also shocked people who knew her personally.
Her husband, William Phelps, expressed disbelief when speaking publicly about the accusations.
“We’ve known each other for 14 years and she’s never shown a sign or an ounce of this,” he said.
His reaction reflected the surprise felt by many who knew the woman now at the center of an international criminal investigation.
“If she did do it, damn, she put one over on me.”
With a lengthy sentence already imposed in Mexico and federal charges waiting in the United States, Phelps may face years of additional legal battles ahead.
Meanwhile, investigators continue reviewing evidence tied to her alleged victims as authorities work to determine the full scope of a case that transformed dating apps into what prosecutors describe as a deadly criminal enterprise.
