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# Name: Katerina Yakovenko
# E-mail: slonopuzik@rambler.ru kayadn@rambler.ru
# Address: Ukraine , Zaporozhye
# Phone: 38-050-524-1168
# Seen at: ElenasModels.com
Russian-Women.net
Wedding Coach (vip-dating-online.com)
myrussiandreams.com
# Dangerous:
36%
# Details: THE APARTMENT RENTAL SCAM IN ZAPOROZYHE, UKRAINE
Katerina Yakovenko, Zaporozyhe, Ukraine.
Katerine Yakovenko (Katya) and her associate, Ilona Potupaylenko, operate an apartment rental scam in Zaporozyhe, Ukraine.
β’ THE ULTIMATE MONEY LETTER:
Katya instructs me to make sure that I bring enough money with me,and that I make sure that my banks know that I will be Ukraine, so that I can spend money on whatever becomes necessary. In a phone call, Katya repeated this "advice," so that I "don't go broke" when I am in Ukraine. She wanted to make sure that I always had access to my money, which, I now know, meant that she would always had access to it.
From: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
Subject: Re: Personal Fairy Tales can come true
Date: July 29, 2006 6:26:24 AM EDT
To: jmbattaglia@adelphia.net
hello John-Michael!
i am glad to speak to you on the phone.
darling sure we will go to the cinema together - do not forget short - we will go to the seaside. I will meet you at DNK airport at 2 p.m.i found out one thing - when you go to Ukraine you need to call your bank from your home and inform them that you go to Ukraine on certain period of time and you will use your credit card in Ukraine - you need to do it because if they see that your credit card is used in Ukraine and you didn't inform them about it they will think that it was stolen form you and used without your knowing - it will be blocked at once and we will have problems - you will be able to improve situation only when you come back home
kisses
katya
I corresponded with Katya, and she invited me to meet her in person, saying, "I do not look for pen pal friend and for long correspondence. It does not lead to anything. the hunger in soul should be filled by love of person i live with. letters can never fill the emptiness!!! i think that only meeting in person can help us to understand if we created for each other or not - that's why you are welcome to visit me. I prefer us to meet in my city. you will see where I live, get acquainted with my friends and family. what do you
think about it? tenderly, katya."After some more correspondence and phone calls to ascertain her
sincerity, I decided to take the chance and visit her.
After three days, I reluctantly had to conclude that Katya was a liar, a cheat, and a scammer. She led me to believe that she was interested in me as her husband, but it turned out that she was only interested in finding ways to get money out of me.Anyway, over the next three days, Katya takes me to extremely expensive restaurants, like the Green Parrot, the Mustang Grill, and a Japanese sushi bar. She also arranges an "excursion tour" around her city, which is nothing but a drive up and down a few streets to see a couple of monuments and churches she thinks would please me. Of
course, Ura is always the driver, and he charges outrageously high prices, often up to $100 per drive.
On the morning of the third day, over breakfast at the Mustang Grill, Katya upped the ante by asking me to buy her a computer, so that she would not have to go the Internet Club and pay all those high fees for printing my letters, and getting them translated, and then going
home to write in Russian, only to have it translated back into English, or for fighting with teenagers who play computer games, etc. She says that if I buy her a computer, we will be able to communicate every day, even chat online, to save phone costs. During breakfast, she also raised the idea of my sending
to classes to improve her English (about $400) so that she could blend into America society much faster once we married.
For a more complete report --with more
photos, scanned documents, and details that I can include here on
this Black List page-- visit the web site I designed to expose this
scam. It is at:
http://users.adelphia.net/~jmbattaglia/katya_scam/
katya_report_060830_web3.htm
or download the following PDF file, which contains all the content of
my web page:
http://users.adelphia.net/~jmbattaglia/katya_scam/katya_scam.pdf
# Date: 2006-09-04
Russian-Women.net
Wedding Coach (vip-dating-online.com)
myrussiandreams.com
# Dangerous:
36%
# Details: THE APARTMENT RENTAL SCAM IN ZAPOROZYHE, UKRAINE
Katerina Yakovenko, Zaporozyhe, Ukraine.
Katerine Yakovenko (Katya) and her associate, Ilona Potupaylenko, operate an apartment rental scam in Zaporozyhe, Ukraine.
β’ THE ULTIMATE MONEY LETTER:
Katya instructs me to make sure that I bring enough money with me,and that I make sure that my banks know that I will be Ukraine, so that I can spend money on whatever becomes necessary. In a phone call, Katya repeated this "advice," so that I "don't go broke" when I am in Ukraine. She wanted to make sure that I always had access to my money, which, I now know, meant that she would always had access to it.
From: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
Subject: Re: Personal Fairy Tales can come true
Date: July 29, 2006 6:26:24 AM EDT
To: jmbattaglia@adelphia.net
hello John-Michael!
i am glad to speak to you on the phone.
darling sure we will go to the cinema together - do not forget short - we will go to the seaside. I will meet you at DNK airport at 2 p.m.i found out one thing - when you go to Ukraine you need to call your bank from your home and inform them that you go to Ukraine on certain period of time and you will use your credit card in Ukraine - you need to do it because if they see that your credit card is used in Ukraine and you didn't inform them about it they will think that it was stolen form you and used without your knowing - it will be blocked at once and we will have problems - you will be able to improve situation only when you come back home
kisses
katya
I corresponded with Katya, and she invited me to meet her in person, saying, "I do not look for pen pal friend and for long correspondence. It does not lead to anything. the hunger in soul should be filled by love of person i live with. letters can never fill the emptiness!!! i think that only meeting in person can help us to understand if we created for each other or not - that's why you are welcome to visit me. I prefer us to meet in my city. you will see where I live, get acquainted with my friends and family. what do you
think about it? tenderly, katya."After some more correspondence and phone calls to ascertain her
sincerity, I decided to take the chance and visit her.
After three days, I reluctantly had to conclude that Katya was a liar, a cheat, and a scammer. She led me to believe that she was interested in me as her husband, but it turned out that she was only interested in finding ways to get money out of me.Anyway, over the next three days, Katya takes me to extremely expensive restaurants, like the Green Parrot, the Mustang Grill, and a Japanese sushi bar. She also arranges an "excursion tour" around her city, which is nothing but a drive up and down a few streets to see a couple of monuments and churches she thinks would please me. Of
course, Ura is always the driver, and he charges outrageously high prices, often up to $100 per drive.
On the morning of the third day, over breakfast at the Mustang Grill, Katya upped the ante by asking me to buy her a computer, so that she would not have to go the Internet Club and pay all those high fees for printing my letters, and getting them translated, and then going
home to write in Russian, only to have it translated back into English, or for fighting with teenagers who play computer games, etc. She says that if I buy her a computer, we will be able to communicate every day, even chat online, to save phone costs. During breakfast, she also raised the idea of my sending
to classes to improve her English (about $400) so that she could blend into America society much faster once we married.
For a more complete report --with more
photos, scanned documents, and details that I can include here on
this Black List page-- visit the web site I designed to expose this
scam. It is at:
http://users.adelphia.net/~jmbattaglia/katya_scam/
katya_report_060830_web3.htm
or download the following PDF file, which contains all the content of
my web page:
http://users.adelphia.net/~jmbattaglia/katya_scam/katya_scam.pdf
# Date: 2006-09-04
Well, dear Katya, we finally had a chance to talk! I am glad about that.
It was not a perfectly clear sound on my end. Some of the words were often dropped out of the sentence, but this time I was able to hear enough to understand you.
I heard you tell me how important it is for a personal meeting. I also heard you say that your holiday this year begins on August 1 and ends on August 19. and that you propose I come visit you for a week during that time.
I like that proposal. It gives us a target date to aim at, so let me think about it this week. I also need to explore the travel options.
I also want to send you more information about myself, and ask you stuff about yourself, in letters. I want to make sure that you understand who you are inviting to visit you, so that you can feel comfortable about that. At the same time, I want to feel comfortable that you understand enough about me from my letters to accept me for who I am and not to have unrealistic expectations.
Right now, however, I have to run to the high school graduation party of my cousin, Ashley. So, check your mail as often as you can this week, OK? And write back to tell me more about yourself, your wishes, your dreams, your expectations, as well as your understanding of me at this point.
John-Michael
MONEY LETTER:
In response to my inquiry that she tell me about her job, Katya informs me of her low salary, a factor that she later referred to over and over again when she asked me to buy her a computer and pay for English lessons so that she would not have to spend money for translators, for the Internet cafe, so she could be ready for America, etc.
From: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
Letter
Subject: Re: Visit my web site. Answer some questions about yourself.
Date: June 30, 2006 12:41:23 AM EDT
To: jmbattaglia@adelphia.net
Reply-To: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
hello, John-Michael.
it was very interesting to me to know about your profession, career and work! i studied at Zaporozhye state engineering academy for 5 years and got higher education there i have diploma in administrative management - civil worker. but i work as economist at the moment - it is close to my profession as well.
My work of economist includes composing of economic reports for the company i work at - and also composing of statistic reports ( the way the products are sold comparing to last months ) - it is a kind of comprehension of demand and proposition and regulation of the product price at the market and also the wholesale of the product proposed at the market. It must differ form your country. I work at private company that has wholesale warehouses of food products and all the household things. My salary is 70$ per month - i know it is little money but it is a good start and useful experience i had to leave dancing because of traumas - but i was offered to teach children - i refused. my heart aches when i see dancing and can't do it myself. i dreamt about dance career - every time i watch dancing now i have tears in my eyes.
watch movie about ball dancing with Richard geer and jennifer lopez - shall we dance.
tenderly
katya
EMOTIONALLY MANIPULATIVE LETTER:
Katya makes me feel like I am the man she is looking for, while steering me away from the idea taking her to a city outside of Zaporozhye, since she has no way to extract money from me away from the apartment she controls and the driver she uses..
From: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
Letter
Subject: Re: Why repeat the same letter?
Date: July 3, 2006 2:26:39 PM EDT
To: jmbattaglia@adelphia.net
Reply-To: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
hello, John-Michael.
thank you for big letters. i am not going to meet other men - i do not meet with men like i plan to meet with you.
darling, be yourself.
we have problems with connection o mobile ad my phone works from time to time.
the mobile company changes strategy and make changes so that's why connection is temporally poor.
try to get through please.
i think you will meet with me and then we will see!
did i understand you right - you are planning to meet other ladies besides me?
you need to fly to Vienna and from Vienna to Dnepropetrovsk - i will meet you at the airport.
i think it will be reasonable if you come for a week.
we will spend week together and see if our relations have chance to develop in future!
august 1`st suits me. Moscow is nice city but very polluted in summer time.
there are a lot of tourists and that's why thiefs there- this is the most expensive city. for example hotel in the center of the city costs around 300-400 usd per night, restaurant - 400-600 usd. i do not think it is good idea.
your concerns are in vain!!! I'm very pleased to meet such a tender, understanding, caring, attentive man. I want to have understanding, care, and attention of parents to children in my family life. I'm sure, that I'll be an attentive and caring wife to my husband, wonderful mother and hostess in our house. I'm pleased to have met a man who has the same life views as I do.
tenderly
katya
MONEY LETTER:
Katya suddenly informs me that the price of the apartment has increased from $60/night to $80/night, a fact that I complained to her about, but felt committed to accept, since my tickets were already purchased.
From: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
Letter
Subject: Re: Book-in-progress: TO MY UNBORN CHILDREN
Date: July 4, 2006 2:26:56 PM EDT
To: jmbattaglia@adelphia.net
Reply-To: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
hello, John-Michael.
thank you for your letter.
i want to tell you that i would like you to come for a week as far as 3 weeks ca be very expensive - Ukraine is not cheap country!
i think it would be reasonable to meet for a week form august 1st till 8th. we will visit different places
i do not want to upset you but for a week we will manage to get to know each other well enough to understand if we get along together. we will better plan our second meeting in other romantic place.
i hope my proposal did not offend you. i have found excellent apartment for you - comfortable - 80 usd per night - does it suit you?
if you do not get through - do not worry - connection is not very good
Knowing you day by day I am finding in you the answers I'm searching for. I'm discovering the sense of all my existence, I've finally found my twin soul in you. It's something like this: you're close in a cave, the darkness is everywhere and you are not able to find the exit. The air is heavy and stifling and you walk on the left and on the right knocking against the walls, searching for an exit. Then walking like a blind you finally feel on your skin a breath of wind, and it gives you New Hope. You start running and in a while the night sky full of its wonderful starlight, appears and the night breeze hugs you. You are this breath of wind, you give to me the strength to start run for the exit, you are the hope for the heaven, you are all I need to live like I want.
kisses
katya
EMOTIONALLY MANIPULATIVE LETTER:
Katya mentions that her father is very interested in meeting me. However, when I arrived in Zaporozhye, she never bothered to take me to see him, although I told her it was the first thing I felt I should do, to show respect for him.
From: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
Letter
Subject: Re: I am buying my tickets; I will visit Ukraine for 3 weeks.
Date: July 6, 2006 5:24:25 AM EDT
To: jmbattaglia@adelphia.net
hello John-Michael
thank you for your letters - i am glad your book is in progress.
are you coming for a week? form august 1st? sure i will book apartment for you - it is not problem.
my information
Katerina Yakovenko
Pobedy strete, 51/8
zaporozhye
69035
Ukraine
my father is waiting for our meeting a lot.
you will come to Dneproeptrovsk - i will meet you at the airport and we wil go to my city by taxi. you will meet my family. take wlaks around the city. we can visit musuems, island, horse show with cosacks performing
we can go to the sea of azov or to the b lack sea - the crimea. we will meet and do everything together - it matters. odessa, kiev, moscow - is bad idea - trust am dand i wil do my best for you to feel comfortable. like home, interesting and exctiing.
i am glad you udneratsn what dances i went in for.
kisses
katya
EMOTIONALLY MANIPULATIVE LETTER:
Katya complains about the slowness of the Internet cafe she uses, a factor she brought up later when she wanted me to buy her a computer and a subscription to fast Internet access from her home.
She also writes to me as if she is in love and longing for our meeting. She implies that we will have a sexual rendezvous, but, in fact, we shared no intimacy whatsoever during my visit. She constantly sent me kisses by email, but she never kissed me in person. Not once! If I got close, she always turned her face away.
From: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
Letter
Subject: Re: You can visit the car show now ... over the Internet.
Date: July 12, 2006 3:18:05 PM EDT
To: jmbattaglia@adelphia.net
Reply-To: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
hello dear, John-Michael.
interenet is very slow in internet club and i did not manage to download the website but i will try to do it.
i wait for our meeting a lot - i know we have a lot to tell each other.
it is easy for me to correspond with you. i want to tell you something - i feel that i can tell you everything. i want to be open with you.
i would like to be by the side of the man who would make my heart beat faster and slower at the same time. the person to feel calm and peace with - not to be afraid that you may lose him next day and the time would go slower and we could stay silent together as we knew that we had the whole life for conversation.
I often catch myself at the thought that I think of you more and more. I want to find myself in your tender arms, to make massage to you and you will teach me something else :-) yes? I turned into dreamer.. it seems to me that life changes colors and becomes brighter.
It will always be the most important for a woman to bathe in true man's love and have healthy children.
The rest doesn't matter
your katya
EMOTIONALLY MANIPULATIVE LETTERS:
Katya makes me feel like she can't wait to see me.
From: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
Letter
Subject: Re: Your letters
Date: July 21, 2006 9:14:50 AM EDT
To: jmbattaglia@adelphia.net
hello dear John- Michael!
I was very glad to talk to you on the phone - thank you for all your pictures.
there is little time left before our meeting!! I count days, hours, minutes before our meeting!!!!
everything is ready for your visit - apartment is reserved!
I got very tired at work may be my voice did not sound very happy - but it was 11 p.m. ;-) try to call earlier - ok?
now I try to finish al the things at work before vacation.
darling I think about us a lot and wait for our meeting
always yours katya
From: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
Letter
Subject: Re: My Spiritual Journey leads me to you
Date: July 24, 2006 1:46:01 PM EDT
To: jmbattaglia@adelphia.net
Reply-To: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
hello dear, John-Michael.
we have so much in common!
i miss you in my life i feel it now
my life misses a lot of colors without you.
i count days before our meeting and i am happy to do it! it is final happy countdown :-)
do not forget to call me form Kiev.
there is little time left before august 1st!!!!
we will be together - you are my wonderful night! - i can not wait till i see you!
kiss you
your katya
EMOTIONALLY MANIPULATIVE LETTER:
Katya makes me feel like I am the man she has been looking for and that she wants to spend all her time with me once I arrive in her city.
In fact, Katya spent very little time with me. Although she originally invited me on the premise that she had a vacation from August 1 through August 19, that turned out to be a lie. She went to work every day, or so she said, and she only came by to pick me for a short tour of the city or out for dinner. For the most part, she abandoned me in the apartment, and she never spend any time there with me.
In short, she never lived up to her promises. Her letters turned out to be a big pack of deceptive lies. She is a woman not to be trusted.
From: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
Letter
Subject: Re: Music and CD's
Date: July 26, 2006 1:32:09 PM EDT
To: jmbattaglia@adelphia.net
Reply-To: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
hello dear, John-Michael.
Today is a wonderful sunny day! I can not work - all my thoughts are busy with you, our meeting, us and your tender hands, your smile, our jokes, laughter, fun, romantic moments.
I want to be the happiest person with you - I want days we will spend together fly like seconds anβ hours to fly like moments! You are my man!!!!
i wait for our coming meeting and count days!!!
I watched the pirates of the Caribbean at the movies - I am very delighted - the movie is great!!! I like adventurous movies!!! Have you seen it yet?
kisses
katya
THE ULTIMATE MONEY LETTER:
Katya instructs me to make sure that I bring enough money with me, and that I make sure that my banks know that I will be Ukraine, so that I can spend money on whatever becomes necessary. In a phone call, Katya repeated this "advice," so that I "don't go broke" when I am in Ukraine. She wanted to make sure that I always had access to my money, which, I now know, meant that she would always had access to it.
From: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
Letter
Subject: Re: Personal Fairy Tales can come true
Date: July 29, 2006 6:26:24 AM EDT
To: jmbattaglia@adelphia.net
hello John-Michael!
i am glad to speak to you on the phone.
darling sure we will go to the cinema together - do not forget short - we will go to the seaside.
I will meet you at DNK airport at 2 p.m.
i found out one thing - when you go to Ukraine you need to call your bank from your home and inform them that you go to Ukraine on certain period of time and you will use your credit card in Ukraine - you need to do it because if they see that your credit card is used in Ukraine and you didn't inform them about it they will think that it was stolen form you and used without your knowing - it will be blocked at once and we will have problems - you will be able to improve situation only when you come back home
kisses
katya
====================================================================================================
Photo of Katya at the Japanese restaurant.
The expensive Japanese dinner (over $105) was the last date I had with Katya.
In between talking about our future together like how many children we wanted Katya asked me to give her money (about $400) to pay for her English language lessons. She had touched on the subject at breakfast, brought it up again at dinner, and she continued asking for this money on the taxi ride back to the apartment. However, I refused to give her any more money. Enough was enough!
After three days, I reluctantly had to conclude that Katya was a liar, a cheat, and a scammer. She led me to believe that she was interested in me as her husband, but it turned out that she was only interested in finding ways to get money out of me. When I finally made the connection in my mind that her real estate associate, Ilona, was someone who had been removed from the Elena's Models web site due to complaints by members for unethical behavior, I realized for certain that the two of them were swindlers and I left Zaporozhye abruptly out of fear for my life.
">This is an apartment rental scam in Zaporozyhe, Ukraine. Visit this web site for full details and a variety of photos and emails leading up to the scam:
http://users.adelphia.net/~jmbattaglia/katya_scam/katya_report_060830_web3.htm
HE APARTMENT RENTAL SCAM IN ZAPOROZYHE, UKRAINE
Katerina Yakovenko, Zaporozyhe, Ukraine.
Katerine Yakovenko (Katya) and her associate, Ilona Potupaylenko, operate an apartment rental scam in Zaporozyhe, Ukraine.
Unlike the conventional wisdom which informs you that, to avoid being scammed, you should never send money to your overseas girlfriend but that you should always go visit her in her own country, this report will show you how easily you can be lured to a girl's country and scammed by her over there. Due to space limitations, this Black List web page contains only a partial report about the apartment rental scam operating in Zaporozyhe. For a more complete report --with more photos, scanned documents, and details that I can include here on this Black List page-- visit the web site I designed to expose this scam. It is at:
http://users.adelphia.net/~jmbattaglia/katya_scam/katya_report_060830_web3.htm
or download the following PDF file, which contains all the content of my web page:
http://users.adelphia.net/~jmbattaglia/katya_scam/katya_scam.pdf
Even if you do not visit my web page exposing this scam, you should be able to get enough information from this Black List report to identify the perpetrators and to understand how the scam works. You should also be able to do a Google search for key words and phrases in the email correspondence I had with this girl, Katya, so that you can determine if you, too, are being drawn into the same trap I fell into. (I copied the text of her emails --i.e., her misspellings, incorrect word usage, and poor grammar verbatim-- so that exact text string matches could be found by a knowledgeable Google searcher.)
The following (mostly textual) report includes the original email memo I sent to the American Embassy in Kiev, along with contact information on the scammers, and copies of pertinent correspondence. Wherever the text refers to a scanned document (for example, of the apartment receipt) or to photos of Katya, Ilona, and Ura, their private "taxi" driver, you will have to go to my web site to see the images displayed in context at that point in my story.
THE APARTMENT RENTAL SCAM IN ZAPOROZHYE, UKRAINE
THE PLAYERS:
* Katerina Yakovenko (Katya) = the Girl (the bait)
* Ilona Potupaylenko = the "Real Estate Agent"
* Ura = the "Taxi" driver
(See their photos on web site at : http://users.adelphia.net/~jmbattaglia/katya_scam/katya_report_060830_web3.htm)
Be advised that these people (along with other associates) operate a "Russian Brides" scam in Zaporozhye, Ukraine. After some emotionally manipulative emails, foreign men are invited to visit the girl in her hometown to see if a real relationship is mutually desirable. The man who accepts the invitation is then told it is cheaper (or better) to stay in an apartment than in a local hotel. If you agree to the girl's conditions, you will then have to pay a high rental rate in advance to stay in an apartment of the girl's choice; spend a lot of money for outrageously expensive dinners at restaurants she takes you to; spend excessively high taxi fares for transportation and for tours around town in a vehicle controlled by her private driver; and buy expensive presents for the girl you go to visit like a computer, or advanced English language lessons, or anything else she can get you to buy for her in cash.
If you fall into her trap, you will become her personal ATM machine. You will get nothing in return but the realization that you were a fool for believing her lies and her promises of love and romance. This report explains who the players currently are and how the scam works.
Be warned, however, that the names and faces presented to you here can change. So, too, can the roles they play. As these players get exposed, they will likely shift to the background to be replaced by other pretty faces to lure you into the same scam. If you meet these people on the Internet, or in person, you will be lied to, deceived, cheated, and swindled. I know! I speak from first-hand experience.
====================================================================================================
Report to the U.S. Embassy in Kiev of an Internet Romance scam operated by Ukrainian women using the Elena's Models web site (and other "Russian Brides" web sites) as their front.
TO: "US Embassy Kiev, ACS"
FROM: jmbattaglia@adelphia.net
Letter
Subject: Katerina Yakovenko ("Katya") is perpetrator of Internet Romance Scam
DATE this report was originally filed with United States Embassy in Kiev: 5 August 2006
DATE this report updated with additional information and photos: 31 August 2006.
I have been the victim of an Internet romance scam being operated in Zaporozhye by Katerina (Katya) Yakovenko and her associates, Ilona Potupaylenko, who functioned as "real estate agent," and Ura (Uri), who was the "taxi driver."
The scam operates like this. Katya is the beautiful, 27-year busty blonde who advertises on several ">
FROM: jmbattaglia@adelphia.net
Letter
Subject: Katerina Yakovenko ("Katya") is perpetrator of Internet Romance Scam
DATE this report was originally filed with United States Embassy in Kiev: 5 August 2006
DATE this report updated with additional information and photos: 31 August 2006.
I have been the victim of an Internet romance scam being operated in Zaporozhye by Katerina (Katya) Yakovenko and her associates, Ilona Potupaylenko, who functioned as "real estate agent," and Ura (Uri), who was the "taxi driver."
The scam operates like this. Katya is the beautiful, 27-year busty blonde who advertises on several Internet romance sites that she is seeking a partner for marriage and that "age does not matter." I discovered her on Elena's Models (http://www.elenasmodels.com) where her profile (#925287) cites that she will consider men up to age 55. I am now a 59-year old male from Buffalo, NY.
I corresponded with Katya, and she invited me to meet her in person, saying, "I do not look for pen pal friend and for long correspondence. It does not lead to anything. the hunger in soul should be filled by love of person i live with. letters can never fill the emptiness!!! i think that only meeting in person can help us to understand if we created for each other or not - that's why you are welcome to visit me. I prefer us to meet in my city. you will see where I live, get acquainted with my friends and family. what do you think about it? tenderly, katya."
After some more correspondence and phone calls to ascertain her sincerity, I decided to take the chance and visit her. Katya suggested that I stay in an apartment she found for me, because, at the rate of only $60/day, it would be cheaper than the local hotels, which cost $75/day. It sounded like she had my best interests at heart, so, after inquiring with Elena's Models whether any complaints had been made against Katya and being informed that none had, I agreed to Katya's proposal. Soon after, Katya informed me that the rate would be $80/day, and I got upset about it, but I had already purchased my tickets, so I felt committed to accept the new rate, since it would end up being less than the penalties had I cancelled my trip entirely.
Unlike other Internet romance scams which occur exclusively via requests by a girl for money, this operation occurs entirely on the girl's turf from the moment I land in her designated airport, which is not in her own city, but in a distant city, requiring a "taxi" operated by Ura in a private car, in this case a black Chevy.
Ura drives the 40 or 50 miles from DNK airport to Zaporozhye, where we go to the home of the "real estate agent," played by Ilona Potupaylenko, (a pretty blonde who also had a profile on Elena's Models (Elena's ID #0933507), until it was removed due to unethical behavior and complaints from members. Ilona joins us in the car, and we go to the apartment. Ilona shows me the apartment, demands payment in cash in US Dollars, along with my New York State Drivers License (which she still retains!), and gives me a receipt on a cheaply printed form that she signs.
From that point on, I am virtually at Katya's mercy. She sets the schedule and we proceed along a pre-set plan she had in mind, none of which, however, ever includes meeting her father, who she said was eager to meet me, or her friends, all fifty of them who allegedly knew the date and time of my arrival, because Katya's cell phones rang incessantly with people she said were relatives and friends wanting to get the scoop on me, her "International Man," who had come to take her to America. (I suspect that it was Ilona who was making all the calls that Katya said she had no time to answer, now that she was with "her International man."
Anyway, over the next three days, Katya takes me to extremely expensive restaurants, like the Green Parrot, the Mustang Grill, and a Japanese sushi bar. She also arranges an "excursion tour" around her city, which is nothing but a drive up and down a few streets to see a couple of monuments and churches she thinks would please me. Of course, Ura is always the driver, and he charges outrageously high prices, often up to $100 per drive.
Of course, while my brain is observing all this, my heart is wanting to trust her, so, when I am not with her, which is often, because, even though August 1 through August 19th is allegedly the period of her holiday from her regular day job (if she really has one), she informs me that she must work half-days due to an unexpected increase in the business she is responsible for. (She sets prices on goods.) I am in turmoil over whether to believe her or not, and she realizes it, because after catching me secretly recording our conversations on a digital recorder, she gets upset and says I am "sick in the head" for doing such a thing, and for not trusting her, because she is "a good girl who does not lie or play games."
So far, Katya and her associates are extracting money from me from the apartment rates, which I paid in full for 10 days at the rate of $80/day, plus the high "taxi" fares charged by Ura. Regarding the several presents I brought for her and had intended to give her, once a day, leading up to an engagement ring using my mother's ring as a symbolic gesture, she gobbled them all up in a single night, saying, "Any more?" as she peeked into the drawer where I hid them.
On the morning of the third day, over breakfast at the Mustang Grill, Katya upped the ante by asking me to buy her a computer, so that she would not have to go the Internet Club and pay all those high fees for printing my letters, and getting them translated, and then going home to write in Russian, only to have it translated back into English, or for fighting with teenagers who play computer games, etc. She says that if I buy her a computer, we will be able to communicate every day, even chat online, to save phone costs. She will give the computer to her father when she comes to America, she said, so that we can keep in touch with him. I had already imagined sending him DVD videos of us, and of our children, by buying him a DVD player as his gift. It was the only gift Katya did not greedily gobble up in her hunger to take all the presents in one gulp.
Of course, I never did meet her "father," though I told her it was the most respectful thing we could do and we should do it the first night I arrived. Nor did I ever meet any of her "friends" who were so eager to meet me. But Katya is very smart and was always able to come up with a plausible excuse for not living up to her promises or agreements. In this case, her brother was in town for his annual holiday, and father wanted to spend more time with him than with the stranger Katya invited from America. Friends were too busy working, so we would see them on the weekend, etc.
I felt totally manipulated by Katya's plea for me to buy her a computer ($1,100), because she always put it in the context of needing it to make our relationship stronger and because she always couched it in terms of trusting her. The very clear implication was that if I did not trust her enough to buy her a communications tool that would ensure that we could be together, how could I expect her to love me? During breakfast, she also raised the idea of my sending to classes to improve her English (about $400) so that she could blend into America society much faster once we married.
Of course, I knew that I had a choice whether to buy her the computer or not, but because she was putting everything into the context of how my helping her now would allow us to form a strong marriage partnership, I consented to letting her take me to a small computer shop on the main street. I did not catch the name of the shop, nor do I know for sure if this particular enterprise is involved in the scam, but it is possible that it is. Katya explained that there was a time deadline in which to buy this computer, because there was an "auction" occurring at a warehouse somewhere, and she needed to buy the computer at that time in order to qualify for the "discount rate." The computer shop is laid out in a very narrow floor space, so that you enter it and go straight to the back, where a man with dark hair sits between a doorway at a desk that contains a computer in which he generated the purchase order for Katya to buy a computer. I asked for a receipt, but was informed that if he printed another copy, his program would interpret it as a second, additional order. I asked for a Xerox copy, but he said they had no copier. Katya promised to make a photocopy, which she never did, of course, because she had to run to perform her regular day job. She was always taking calls on two different cell phones. A black one was "work," and she always responded to it.
Around dinnertime, Katya came to get me. Ura drove us to a fountained park on the main street (Lenin Blvd.?) where a bicyclist rode us around in a sort of trishaw. Then, during an expensive dinner at the nearby Japanese sushi place, where Katya asked me how many children I wanted and about other things related to forming our family and lifestyle, she reminded me about buying those advanced English lessons for her.
During the taxi ride home (normal taxi, Ura not available!), Katya pressed her request, explaining to me that she had to have the money (1,800 UAH, or nearly $400) now in order to sign up the next day in time to take the skills assessment test on the following Monday and be admitted to the next class. As I listened to her make her case, my main concern was that she would not have to take the class during the time of our planned tour of Ukraine, following the initial 10-day get acquainted period in her home town. No, no problem, she said. The class would not start until September. OK, I thought, but as I reached into my waist safe to get the money out for her, it got extremely suffocating in the cab. My whole body reacted in such a way that I had to get the hell out of that cab. What my brain was confused about all week suddenly took effect on my entire body, which realized that it was in danger!
I got out of the cab, and I asked Katya to also get out so that we would talk about this further on the nearby park bench in front of the apartment building she put me in. Katya claimed to be "very tired" and in a hurry to go home (it was only 9 pm!), so she would not get out to talk. I got angry and said: "Katya, you do not control me!" and I quickly walked away to go into the apartment.
When I was there, though, my mind raced and I began to feel afraid. I felt trapped in an apartment that Katya and/or her associates had keys to. I was afraid to sleep there anymore, lest someone enter and attack me, while also eliminating all evidence I had accumulated which would expose their swindle. I wanted to call for help, but I could not! The apartment phone blocks long distance calls as well as calls to mobile phones. I did not know how to call police. I could not call the U. S. Embassy to ask for guidance. So, I ran out of the apartment in a near panic, seeking help from a neighbor couple (names withheld to protect their safety) sitting outside, and begging them to help me. They speak no English, but with the help of a book I had and by pointing to keywords and bursting out in tears, I managed to convey to them the feeling of danger I felt I was in. They took me into their apartment, where with the help on an English-speaking interpreter whom they telephoned, I told my story. Based on advice I received from them and several others I spoke to that horrible night, who even counseled to leave the country in case the Ukrainian "mafia" was involved in orchestrating these kinds of swindles, I hastily evacuated the apartment (with the help of my friendly neighbor) and spent the night in a hotel.
Next afternoon, after calling the Embassy, I fled Zaporozhye by overnight train to Kiev, because, even though the perpetrators directly made no actual threat against me, they had me captive in an apartment under their complete control, and I feared for my life. I am now in Kiev at xxxxx, but I have alerted the reception desk NOT to forward any calls or to acknowledge that a guest by my name even is staying here. I may be over-reacting, but I have sufficient evidence to link all the perpetrators together, and I fear they may harm me to prevent me from sharing that information with authorities.
I am originally scheduled to fly from Kiev New York on August 20, and I would like to try to turn this misadventure into something that leaves me with a more positive impression Ukraine, so I would like to try to be just a normal tourist in Kiev while I am in-country. I have spoken with Evegny (an Embassy employee; he's from Zaporozhye himself!) about this matter; he suggested that I "get out of Dodge" as the prudent thing to do, so I did it. I can file a much more complete report once I return home to the USA and have time to do so, but, while I am here, I can also present some of the information I have, including photos and videos of the perpetrators, personal data and contact information, and copious documentation, including copies of the emails which lured me here to meet Katya as my potential wife, the web site information (elenasmodels.com), her profile, her date of birth (5/11/1979 as reported on a web site, but true accuracy uncertain until verified, perhaps through Elenas' Models), etc. At home, I have recorded phone messages of our conversations in .mpg format.
I do not know if any significant investigation or law enforcement will occur in a swindle of this nature in a country that is beset by much bigger corruption problems that this particular incident, but I do know from talking with the common people I have met on the train to Kiev and in Zaporozhye prior to my flight that this is "a big problem" in Ukraine and they do not like the image it presents of their country to the world. So, I intend to make a full report to any and all authorities and media who will listen and take follow-up action.
In the meantime, I will contact the web site owner where Katya is listed and demand that she be removed from active solicitation. Katya is so slick that, until I finally made the connection in my head that Ilona, the associate who played the real estate agent role in this scam, was removed from Elena's Models during the past year on complaints from members, I was willing to believe her assertions that she "does not play games" and is "a good girl" who "can be trusted."
However, the internal conflict I suffered between my intelligent, analytical head and my open, trusting heart has been resolved. For weeks, I had wrestling internally with the issues of what the truth is in this situation. That is, should my heart trust in the oft repeated assertions by this beautiful, 27-old woman that age does not matter and that I am "her man," despite being 59-years old? Or, should my very smart head overrule the trusting heart, as it has always done so, thereby continuing to condemn me to isolation and loneliness?
As I confessed in this letter, this time I allowed the heart to tell the brain to take a hike. But it was the wrong decision. The evidence is overwhelming that I was lured to Ukraine by Katya with the promise of a romantic relationship that could lead to marriage, but which, in reality, was nothing but a ruse to extract money from me through the apartment rental, the high "taxi" fares, and the purchase of special services for Katya, like the new computer and English language lessons.
Accordingly, I ask that the U.S. Embassy pursue whatever options it has to investigate this operation, including notifying the Ukrainian police authorities to take whatever punitive actions they can against Katya and her associates. I also demand that Elena's Model immediately de-activate Katya's profile from their web site. I hold Elena's Model partially responsible for allowing this girl to operate unchained on its web site for so long, since her initial appearance on it last October, especially since I contacted them for specific reports by other subscribers about Katya's character. While I was advised against staying in an apartment, it seemed like more attention was given by Elena's staff in attempting to get me to pay them for yet another service, which would involve investigating Katya's background.
Obviously, my experience has forced me to conclude that the entire Internet romance business is rife with corruption, and that it is impossible to tell the truth-tellers from the scammers when the scammers can hide undetected and protected on the web site developed by the author of the book allegedly intended to prevent open-hearted, trusting foreigners like me from being cheated, swindled, and scammed.
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CONTACT INFO ON KATYA:
Katerina Yakovenko
Pobedy Street, 51/8
Zaporozhye 69035
Ukraine
Home Phone: 38-0612-337-900
Cell phone: 38-0505-241-168
Email: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
Father's name, given to me as: Alexander.
Phone numbers are valid. I spoke to her on both numbers.
Email address is valid: it was used for our correspondence.
Home address seems valid: flowers were delivered to her there.
Date of birth, as observed on different web sites: 5/11/1979.
Photos are available for scanning. I can send them from USA, or the Embassy can scan them here while I am in Kiev. Videos discs are available to be duped.
Contact: helpdesk@elenasmodels.com for additional information on this person, like her Passport Number and/or confirmation of her birth date. This is information that governmental authorities may obtain, but which was denied to me upon direct request.
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UPDATE: AUGUST 31, 2006
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON KATERINA YAKOVENKO and HER SCAM:
The following sections contain photos and additional information on Katerina Yakovenko that I was unable to provide in my original report due to my inability while in Ukraine to access the data and the software that would allow me to provide a fuller report one that can include photos, scans of relevant evidence, and previous correspondence with Katya.
This updated report is organized into the following three sections:
* THE REAL ESTATE AGENT and the APARTMENT
...Photos of Ilona Potupaylenko, "the real estate agent"
...Apartment Receipt
...Contact Information on Ilona Potupaylenko
* THE GIRL WHO ATTRACTS MEN to the APARTMENT with her BEAUTY, LIES, and DECEPTIONS
...Photos of Katerina (Katya) Yakovenko, the "bait," the lure.
...Additional Photos of Katerina Yakovenko, observed on other web sites.
...Photos of Katya at the apartment
*THE PRIVATE "TAXI" DRIVER and his CAR
...Photos of Ura, the "taxi" driver
* LETTERS FROM KATYA LEADING UP TO MY VISIT
.......Generic, Introductory Letters
......Money Letters
......Emotionally Manipulative Letters
...Photo of Katya at the Japanese restaurant
* FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
In this updated report, I warn all web site managers to consider this woman, Katerina Yakovenko, a scammer and immediately remove her profile so that she may not be allowed to deceive other men like she tricked me. I also write this report to warn all embassies where Katerina Yakovenko may apply for a visa that she is a liar, a cheat, and a fraud. She does not deserve entry into your country.
Of course, the chances are that even if Katya's profile is removed from web sites, she will take on the function of a "real estate agent" like her associate Ilona Potupaylenko, and other women will take n the role of "the bait." But if men are made aware of this apartment scam operation, they have a better chance of avoiding falling into the traps set by unscrupulous women like Katya and Ilona.
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* THE REAL ESTATE AGENT and the APARTMENT
Photos of Ilona Potupaylenko, "the real estate agent."
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Apartment receipt.
This is a scan of the receipt I got from Ilona Potupaylenko, the blonde woman who played the real estate agent in this scam. Except for my signature underneath the scratched out portion indicating that I had given Ilona a deposit to cover of $200 (because it was all the cash I had on me at the time of renting the apartment), all handwriting is by Ilona.
As signed by Ilona, this receipt indicates the address of the apartment, the 10-day rental period (from August 1 to August 10, 2006), the phone number in the apartment, and Ilona's phone numbers.
This receipt also testifies that Ilona required me to give her my American driver's license and that I "paid for 10 days" in full to rent the apartment. The amount of the rental is not specified, but the daily rate was $80//day, as can be confirmed by the email Katya sent to me prior to my arrival.
Although our original agreement was that I would spend 7 days in Zaporozhye visiting Katya, her family, and friends before we went on a sightseeing tour around Ukraine together, when I arrived in the apartment, Katya surprised me by extending my apartment term to 10 days, obviously in order to extract another 3 days rent from me to be paid in advance, of course.
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Contact information on Ilona Potupaylenko.
Ilona's surname or address was never listed in her profile on Elena's Models, and the web master there would not reveal any additional personal information to individuals like me. But she will provide pertinent information to governmental authorities seeking to fill in the holes of their database. Contact: helpdesk@elenasmodels.com for information.
Fortunately, however, another web site, Army-of-brides.com, kindly provided me with Ilona's surname and birth date. Their web team immediately deleted Katerina's and Ilona's profiles upon receipt of my report, so I consider them to operate ethical web sites dedicated to preventing scammers from exploiting foreign men.
Like Katya, Ilona used the Elenas Models web site to attract men to Ukraine. In late 2005, Elenas Models removed Ilona's profile after complaints by members regarding her unethical behavior. Around that same time, in October 2005, Katya posted her profile on Elenas Models.
The fact that both Katya and Ilona promote themselves as the "girl" in this apartment romance scam in Zaporozyhe is a strong indication that this is a scam involving several people who switch roles as circumstances require. One day they play the bait; another day they play the real estate agent. Obviously, this scam is just a soap opera for them. They use the Internet to audition for men to pay for their acting talents.
Ilona Potupaylenko
Zaporozhye, Ukraine
Mobile Phone: 30-067-396-2976
Home Phone in Zaporozhye: 239-3193
Email address she provided in September 2005: ptplnko@inbox.ru
Date of birth (as observed on the Russian Women's Network web site and confirmed by the army-of-brides.com web site): January 14, 1979
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* THE GIRL WHO ATTRACTS MEN to the APARTMENT with her BEAUTY, LIES, and DECEPTIONS
Photos of Katerina (Katya) Yakovenko, the girl used as the "bait," the attractive lure.
The previous photos appeared on the Elena Models web site, or they were photos that Katya sent to me during my correspondence with him. (Specifically, she sent me the photo of her with her alleged "father," as well as the photo of her seated at a table.)
In addition to putting her profile on EleanasModels, Katya had also advertised herself on several other "Russian Brides" web sites, where she had published the following photos.
The following photos were published at the Army-of-Brides.com, where Katya's profile is: http://www.army-of-brides.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?id=1087&p=1
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Additional Photos of Katerina Yakovenko, as observed on other "Russian Brides" web sites, indicating an ongoing fraudulent operation
Since my visit to Katya during August 1 through August 3, 2006, Katya has published these additional, professionally taken photos in her advertisement at the Army-of-Brides web site (and elsewhere), which is a clear indication to me that she has suffered no guilt about swindling me and that she intends to continue her criminal activity of luring more men into her trap.
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Photos of Katya at the apartment she arranged for me to stay in during my visit to Zaporozhye.
This is a screen shot excerpted by the video I took as Katya arrived at the apartment to take me out on our "first date."
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Here is Katya in the apartment, opening up the first gift I gave her. Moments after glancing at the first gift, she demanded that I turn off the video camera, and she then insisted that I give her all the remaining presents in one shot, instead of in front of her family, as I had intended. She said that she would give her family members the gifts that I had brought for them.
After gobbling up all the gifts, she packed them all up and hauled them off into Ura's car even before we went to dinner that night.
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*THE PRIVATE "TAXI" DRIVER and his CAR
Photos of Ura, the "taxi" driver.
Ura (or Uri) is the man that Katya called to drive us around town. He did not drive a licensed taxi. He drove a private car, and he charged extremely high prices for his services, a fact which leads me to conclude that he is an essential partner in the ongoing scam operated by Katya and Ilona.
The images of Ura, his car, and Katya sitting in his car are screen captures which I excerpted from the video footage I took during our sightseeing tour around Zaporozhye.
Ura was very scared of having his photo taken, which I now realize was most likely due to the fact that he did not want anyone to collect any evidence of his part in all this illegal activity.
Below, Katya approaches Ura's car after our visit to the horse show performed by Cossacks at their museum and ranch near Zaporozhye.
The clean condition and the relative newness of Ura's car would suggest that this is a well-funded scam operation.
Unfortunately, I did not manage to obtain the license number of Ura's black car. But, as this next photo shows, there is a Playboy symbol hanging the rear window to help identify the vehicle.
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LETTERS FROM KATYA LEADING UP TO MY VISIT
In this section, I will include some of the letters I received from Katya.
To prove Katya's deception, it is not necessary to include all the correspondence between her and me. So, after presenting introductory, generic letters that Katya sends out to set the bait, I will concentrate primarily on two kinds of letters: (1) letters in which Katya makes specific references to money, to her low salary, and to the costs of renting the apartment; (2) letters in which she expresses love and caring towards me as a way to manipulate my feelings so that I will be eager to visit her.
As I explained in my initial report to the U.S. Embassy in Kiev, the particular scam which Katya, Ilona, and Ura operate is not one in which Katya requests me to send her money. This is a scam which takes places on Ukrainian soil when a victim like me arrives at the airport of their choice, rides in a private car of their choice, stays in a private apartment that they control, goes to expensive restaurants that they designate, and buys expensive presents for Katya, like a computer or English language lessons. Unfortunately, I could not foresee or predict Katya's deception based on the cleverly written, tender letters that lured me into her trap.
GENERIC, INTRODUCTORY LETTERS:
Here are the generic, introductory letters that Katya sent me at the very beginning of my correspondence with her, in response to my sending her an Expression of Interest message through the Elenas Models website.
I believe that, for the most part, these letters are the standard, form letters she sends to all men who express an interest in getting to know her. I include them here, because I believe that some of the biographical material in these letters may actually be true, so this may be useful to men hoping to prevent being scammed by her like I was.
For example, she claims to have been a dancer, and if one does a Google search for Ekaterina Yakovenko, one will find her name included several times at a web site devoted to publishing the results of amateur dance contests. She competed with a partner whom she told me now lives in New Jersey, United States of America.
She also claims to live with her father, Alexander Yakovenko. If one calls her home phone, a man will occasionally answer, though he does not speak English. When I inquired about her father in an email prior to my visit, she sent me a photo of her with a man she said is her father. But, since she never introduced me to her father, I cannot be sure who that man in the picture really is. It is possible that he really is her father; it is also possible that he is part of the scam operation. I have no evidence one way or the other.
Before I left Ukraine, on the possibility that Katya actually does live with a man who is her father, I wrote a registered letter (in Ukrainian) to a Mr. Alexander Yakovenko at the address Katya provided me. I informed him that Katya is a liar, a cheat, and a swindler. I do not know if the letter was actually received by Katya's father, if Katya intercepted it, or what happened to it. I merely wanted to expose her treachery and let him know that his daughter has the heart of a criminal.
GENERIC, INTRODUCTORY LETTER #1:
From: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
Letter
Subject: Re: Fwd: Hello to lovely Katerina! (Letter #01)
Date: June 2, 2006 11:47:00 AM EDT
To: jmbattaglia@adelphia.net
Reply-To: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
hello, John-Michael.
thank you for your letter a lot
I'd like to tell you at once that I don't like long postal romances that don't end in anything either. It's very difficult to know each other through letters. Only during the meeting, looking into the eyes, touching a hand, feeling the warmth of each other, we can understand if we are created for each other or not.
I'm looking for the happiness by the family coziness, I dream about the family where everyone will find understanding, care, can rest with his soul, where loud children's laugh will sound. Sure the family should give the rest to the soul, the food to the feelings, explosion of emotions & pleasure for two. It seems to me that we have common dreams.
I'm very sensitive lady & if we get on well together, you won't feel sorry that we have got acquainted. I like mini skirts. The most favorite colors are cherry, blue, black, red.
I like football. I am the fan of Dinamo. What's your favorite team? I have a lot of acquaintances who love me but I have few true friends. I like old music - ABBA, Boney M, Depeche Mode, etc.
I have a cat at home. My favorite season is summer.
I danced professionally for 10 years. But after trauma I had to leave the sport. I like dancing very much and sometimes go to the discos with my friends. I like to go to the movies and read historical books. I'm very sentimental, I can even cry watching touching moments in the movie :-)
I'm romantic - I dream about candle light dinner, taking walks around night town. I like to cook, I bake wonderful tarts and cakes. I have been to Poland, Cheh republic, Hungary, turkey, Germany and Slovakia and the of the former USSR.
What I'm looking for in a man - first of all stability, confidence that he is the only one who will make me happy. I imagine him to be romantic, sensitive, caring, he should be a good husband & father.
I'm absolutely sure that the main feelings in relations should be love, respect and trust.
They are three components on which the real family should be based. That's why I want to have a man by my side with whom I'd feel comfortable. I want to feel happy with such a man. A woman who feels that she is loved, desired, care about her, she is ready to present twice as much warmth, care and gentleness to that man. I'm sure the more you give and the more sincere you act the more you get - it must be the law of nature and God. to my mind a man should be the head of the family, he should be the mind and financial center in order to support his family and children. A woman is the hostess of the home heath, she creates feelings, emotional background of the family. She breathes life into the family and home. I want to have a man in who's sake I can leave my family, friends, country, so that I'd never hesitate if I did right or not. I'm positive, open, sincere, soft person who doesn't like conflicts. I feel a lot of vital forces in me. I'm active enough and cheerful person I love life in all its manifestations!
With tenderness, Katya
GENERIC, INTRODUCTORY LETTER #2:
From: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
Letter
Subject: Re: Sorry to be late, Katya, another letter coming later today.
Date: June 9, 2006 7:18:01 AM EDT
To: jmBattaglia@adelphia.net
hello Michael!
it was very interesting to me to read your ideas about relations. I could not write you sooner as far as I was on business trip.
age difference does not matter to me.
I dream about a man to spend many years together - till the end of time - to raise out children together, to watch them growing, to go shopping, buying new clothes to them, put them on school bus, watch them getting their diplomas, wait for grandchildren. This is what I want form life. I think it is real love when there a family and loving couple. Darling, but we don't have to forget about each other. We must have romantic evenings together, unforgettable nights in the course of our marriage. It sounds like a fairy tale but I want it.
I work 5 days a week from Monday till Friday. I wake up at 6.30 and cook breakfast for my father and make sandwiches for him for work. He leaves at 7.15 and i start getting ready to work, I take shower, make-up, tea and leave home at 8.15 a.m. I am at work at 9 a.m. my work is not hard but it demands much attention and accuracy. In my lunch break I drink tea with sandwiches and write you my letters. I leave work at 6.30 p.m. the most unpleasant thing i my work are business trips - I have to leave and I don't see your letters. After work I hurry up home, we have dinner and discuss with my father how we spent the day. Evenings are not boring as my father and I live on the second floor and my aunt with her family one floor above - in the evening we often gather all together and have much fun and laughter.
At week-end we usually go to the market - buy food or clothes. Sometimes I go with my friends shopping, to the cinema or disco. I meet with my friend sat the cafe. At week-ends I spoil my father with something tasty - and sure i do the work about the house. I hope and believe that the time will come when I take care about my beloved man and our children, about our home. I want to have my family.
I am sure that people from different parts of the world can be happy in spite of the distance lying between them - it doesn't matter that you are far away form me. we write letters and it helps us to be closer to each other - we are together already! We will overcome language barrier and distance and culture difference between our countries. I think it will make our life more interesting and we will always find something new in each other and our relations. I want to devote myself to beloved man, to give him my tenderness, joy and acre every day.
I want to tell you at once not to worry if you don't hear form me at once - I have no computer at home and I go to Internet club - i check my e-mail every other day. My English is not very good, sometimes i use interpreter's help. I try to learn English myself, that's why it is a bit slow process. Internet club is not very good thing as there are too many people there trying to look into your screen and i feel uncomfortable because of it.
Tenderly,
Katya.
GENERIC, INTRODUCTORY LETTER #3:
From: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
Letter
Subject: Re: Let's move ahead to a new level, sooner rather than later.
Date: June 13, 2006 8:54:43 AM EDT
To: jmbattaglia@adelphia.net
hello dear John-Michael !
thank you for your letter. i do not write everybody and all together. i read all your letters. i told you a lot about myself in my previous letters - it \sound slike autobigrophy but in the very beginning of the correspondence we can realize if we have interest to each other or not - if we have wish to go on writing or not.
this is my point of view. i wrote you before that i do not look for pen pal friend and for long correspondnece - it dpoes nto lead to anything!
the hunger in soul should be filled by love of perosn i live with. letters can never fill the emptiness!!!
i think that only meetign can help us to udnerstand if we created for each other or not - that's why you are welcome to visit me.
I prefer us to meet in my city. you will see where I live, get acquainted with my friends and family. what do you think about it?
tenderly
katya
GENERIC, INTRODUCTORY LETTER #4:
From: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
Letter
Subject: Re: Fwd: Customer Survey
Date: June 16, 2006 2:22:04 PM EDT
To: jmbattaglia@adelphia.net
Reply-To: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
hello dear John-Michael.
i am happy to see that we get to know each other better and better. i will tell you more and more about myself within every letter. You know, when I decided to post my ad and viewed the ads of other men and especially women, I saw all different romantic stuff. Maybe it is the sign of the lack of romantics in their life. I tried to make my ad so, that it will give a definite understanding about the man I'd like to have in my life. The notion "knight" implies most of his characteristics, besides I thought that it would save me time to explain what I wanted:). And it seems to me that I have found you Ð my knight, the man, who is mature and wise enough to understand and forgive, to care and tolerate.
you know, going to bed in the evening i think a lot before falling asleep - i think about the way i spent the day - what i managed to do form what i have planned - analyze the things i said and done, heard.
and i thought what if someone asked me what i am afraid of in life most of all - i would say loneliness. one may ask - why not loss of dear people, illness of parents. i think about it and understand that
this is loneliness. if your dear people leave you, if they are ill Ð it means loneliness. loneliness brings emptiness it is awful. you have no one around you and your life has no sense, no meaning - i feel alive
when i have dear beloved people by my side - i feel inner need to share my life, take care, give my attention and love to dear people. what are you afraid of most of in life?
My childhood was wonderful, i got love and attention form my parents. I was fond of dancing. I trained abroad. I learnt in high school there - 6 month-course. My father was well-off and could afford it. But when I was 13 years old - my mother decided to leave the family. she wanted to live for herself. It happened when we had economic crisis in our country. It was difficult to live for everyone Ð the establishment where my father worked went through economic crisis like the rest. All international contracts were broken. Our country changed to capitalistic way of development. We were short of money and my mother decided to leave us , she didn't want to wait when everything will implosive again. I traveled less and stayed at home more, getting with all the problems. I have an older brother, he was ill and demanded care, attention and love. I had to replace hostess of the house. I saw my mother when i was 16 - it was next time - she came to divorce with my father. the greatest shock in my life were her words - i am adult enough and have passport- i can go anywhere I want. Father didn't leave me, he helped me to get education. I got used to the thought that i lost my mother.
Now she longs for our communication and close relations but i think we have lost too much time for each other - it is too late.
I have close relations with my mother. I have a wonderful family, I have aunt, her husband, cousin and my father. I looked for granny on mother's side for 10 years. She died recently. Now i am absolutely free to look for my life partner , i dont want to live in this country as i couldn't meet here the man to love me the way I am.
my mobile is + 38 050 5241168- call me after 9 p.m. what is the purpose of your correspondence with elena's models? What for do you need all these proposals and advices? are you consultant or you look for a wife?
waiting for your reply,
tenderly,
katya
MONEY LETTER:
Immediately after I decided to accept her invitation to visit her, Katya suggested that I stay in an apartment for $60 per night.
From: slonopuzik@rambler.ru
Letter
Subject: Re: At last, I can hear your voice!
Date: June 27, 2006 8:22:09 AM EDT
To: jmbattaglia@adelphia.net
hello dear John-Michael !
i am glad that you like my idea to meet in August - from 1st till 19th - during the period of my vacation. w eca get to know each other in letters better - please book tickets beforehand in orsder not to have problems with it later on. Darling, now about business. Airport you can fly to is 100 km away form my city in Dnepropetrovsk Ð I can by taxi there and meet you and I can book apartment for you Ð where you will live during your stay. a nice flat with all the comfort in the centre of the city near to supermarket, cafe, shops, restaurant Ð it costs 60$ per night. It is much cheaper than hotel room Ð I found out that the cheapest one costs 75$ per night at the hotel Ð and you can not have breakfast there while there is a kitchen in apartment and there is always hot water there. write me what you think about it and if you agree with these conditions.
i hope this info wil be helpful to you
your katya
Battagli
