CHICAGO (CBS) — A pregnant mom, a medical worker and a stunning money-making plot.
The women are accused of drugging men and stealing tens of thousands of dollars. Police said the women pocketed $85,000 from 10 unsuspecting men in Chicago. CBS 2’s Chris Tye reports police said they were caught as their last victim was still incoherent.
Authorities said they planned to meet their men in River North. Their car had vials of alcohol that would black them out. The suspects had guns with a laser sight on them and a vision to get rich quick.
Since the beginning of the year, Tiana Trammel and Tjwana Rainey were drawing in victims to a scheme prosecutors said landed them more than $85,000 in other people’s money. The most recent case on Saturday night.
Investigators said they arranged to meet a man from a dating app at a River North bar. The man didn’t know the vile of alcohol they plied him with would lead to an instant black out. What the Milwaukee duo didn’t know was that a tracker had been placed on their Nissan. In this case, their getaway back to Wisconsin would stall when their car didn’t start and their arrest came minutes later.
But in past cases, prosecutors said they’d sometimes go back to the man’s house and rob him. On another occasion, a man was left at the Lake Forest Oasis only to find his phone, jewelry and wallet missing. Authorities said they have surveillance videos of Target and Walmart stores in Wisconsin where they would rack up big bills on the credit cards of their victims and max out ATM transactions.
The women are now behind bars as investigators said others part of the ring are now being sought as well. The car and the gun authorities found inside it belonged to Trammell, who authorities believe was the mastermind.
Rainey is thought to have been involved in four of the 10 cases CPD is aware of. The crossing of state lines in this case could change the scope of this case moving forward.
*story by CBS Chicago