Kat Torres: The Influencer Convicted Of Human Trafficking

05/14/25 • 39 min

Kat Torres had it all—famous friends, a jet-setting modelling career and a social media feed that painted the picture of a woman who had truly made it.

But behind the flawless photos and inspirational captions lurked a far darker reality. Torres wasn’t just living the influencer dream; she was building something far more dangerous. What began as a pursuit of fame spiralled into a cult-like following, where influence became control, and admiration, exploitation.

So, how does someone with a face as angelic as Kat Torres become a cult leader and accused sex trafficker?

Journalist and Don’t Cross Kat podcast host Chico Felitti joins us to uncover the disturbing truth behind the rise—and fall—of Kat Torres.

Find the podcast here: https://wondery.com/shows/guru/season/2/

CREDITS

Guest: Chico Felitti

Host: Claire Murphy

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

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If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

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Kat Torres had it all—famous friends, a jet-setting modelling career and a social media feed that painted the picture of a woman who had truly made it.

So, how does someone with a face as angelic as Kat Torres become a cult leader and accused sex trafficker?

Journalist and Don’t Cross Kat podcast host Chico Felitti joins us to uncover the disturbing truth behind the rise—and fall—of Kat Torres.

Find the podcast here: https://wondery.com/shows/guru/season/2/

CREDITS

Guest: Chico Felitti

Host: Claire Murphy

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at [email protected] or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Previous Episode

Tortured & Brainwashed: How Ben Shenton Survived Australia’s Most Disturbing Cult

At just 18 months old, Ben Shenton was handed over to a woman who claimed she was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ.

That woman was Anne Hamilton-Byrne, the leader of a secretive doomsday cult called The Family. For 14 years, Ben lived cut off from the outside world—beaten, starved, drugged, and taught to stay “unseen, unheard, unknown.” The cult twisted Christianity into a tool of fear and control.

Ben was finally rescued at age 15 during a police raid. Today, he’s an advocate for survivors and a pastor who still follows the teachings of Jesus Christ, just not the version the cult tried to force on him.

You can find Ben’s website, Rescue the Family, here, and his book Life Behind the Wire here.

CREDITS

Guest: Ben Shenton

Host: Claire Murphy

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at [email protected] or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Next Episode

William Tyrrell: Is This The Breakthrough We've Been Waiting For?

He was three years old, dressed in a Spider-Man suit, playing in his foster grandmother’s yard — and then he was gone. Nearly a decade later, the disappearance of William Tyrrell remains one of Australia’s most haunting mysteries.

For years, this case has been clouded in secrecy. With a high number of registered sex offenders living in the area where William vanished, investigators have long questioned whether he was deliberately targeted — and if so, by whom?

Now, nearly 11 years later, the team behind the podcast Witness: William Tyrrell believes they’ve uncovered crucial answers. Host Dan Box joins us to discuss their latest findings in a case that continues to captivate the nation.

You can find the Witness podcast here.

CREDITS

Guest: Dan Box

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at [email protected] or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

True Crime Conversations - Kat Torres: The Influencer Convicted Of Human Trafficking

Transcript

Speaker 100:00:06.551

True Crime Conversations acknowledges the traditional owners of land and waters that this podcast was recorded on social media influences. They can hold a lot of sway with their followers. After all, they can convince you to buy products, invest in bitcoin, adopt lifestyle changes, dress a certain way, get plastic surgery.

Speaker 200:00:28.192

But could an influencer make.

Speaker 100:00:30.