Brazil Woman Convicted After Posing as Adopted 12-Year-Old

Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira spent more than 15 years presenting herself as a child, according to prosecutors, before her identity was uncovered in Joinville

A Brazilian woman who spent more than 15 years posing as a child has been arrested and convicted of fraud and identity theft after her deception was uncovered in Joinville, in the state of Santa Catarina.

Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira was arrested at the home of her adoptive family, where she had spent 14 months presenting herself as a 12-year-old girl named Gabriele. When police arrived, her adoptive mother reportedly insisted there had to be a mistake.

“Amanda, the show is over,” officers told her, according to the account provided. Oliveira, who had allegedly altered her voice to sound like a child while living with the family, then responded in her natural adult voice: “Do I have to come with you?”

Oliveira was prosecuted and convicted in Santa Catarina on charges of fraud and false identity. She received a sentence of one year, six months and 10 days in prison for fraud, followed by four months and 18 days for the false-identity charge. She also faces allegations of fraud in the neighboring state of Paraná.

Her attorney, Lucio Sousa, said Oliveira admitted to presenting herself as a child but denied engaging in criminal conduct. He argued that she had created a false identity as a means of survival after years of vulnerability and homelessness.

“She invented an identity; it was a way to survive,” Sousa said. “She was a vulnerable person for more than 20 years and lived on the streets.” He also argued that there was no evidence she had stolen anything or obtained financial benefits through the deception.

Court documents state that Oliveira said she never intended to defraud anyone.

“I lied and deceived people, but I did not want to scam anyone,” Oliveira said, according to the account cited in the case. “There was a void inside me, a need for affection.”

Oliveira had allegedly adopted the same false-child persona on several occasions in the past. When suspicion began to undermine the deception, she would disappear and later resurface elsewhere, repeating the same pattern.

In Joinville, she gained the trust of a couple and persuaded them not to pursue a formal adoption. She reportedly told them that her allegedly violent father could locate her through official documents.

The deception eventually attracted the attention of a relative of the couple. After several months, the relative conducted online searches and discovered information indicating that the girl known as Gabriele was actually Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira. Police were alerted and intervened.

Her lawyers have also requested a psychiatric evaluation as part of the proceedings. Attorney Sarita de Paiva told The Washington Post that Oliveira was seeking attention and had told her that presenting herself as a woman would mean people would no longer care about her.

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(Photo: © AndKronos)