FIT Student's Alleged Rapist and Drug Dealer Indicted in Fentanyl Overdose Death

Federal prosecutors have indicted two men on charges related to the death of Annabel Richter, a 19-year-old student at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City. Richter died in March after ingesting fentanyl, which she believed to be cocaine, according to a federal indictment filed in the Southern District of New York.

Moises Freire and Brian Peralta Cabrera are charged with participating in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy. Prosecutors allege that Freire obtained fentanyl from Peralta Cabrera and brought it to Richter's dorm on March 18. Richter and another female student present at the time suffered acute fentanyl poisoning. Toxicology reports confirmed the presence of fentanyl in both women's systems, with no cocaine detected.

Richter, a Brazilian national and a first-year student in the Advertising and Marketing Communications program, never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead at a hospital on March 21. The second woman survived after receiving emergency medical treatment for serious bodily injury.

The indictment further alleges that Freire sexually assaulted Richter while she was incapacitated by the drug. Prosecutors claim Freire sent text messages to friends, including bragging about Richter being "completely unconscious" and taking non-consensual photographs of her.

The death sent shockwaves through the FIT community. Students initially received limited information from the college, with one email describing the incident as a "tragedy" and noting a medical emergency in the dorm. Rumors about the drug and how Richter may have met the dealer circulated on campus, with some students hearing she met him through Tinder.

FIT President Jason S. Schupbach sent further communications to students and faculty addressing the case after the federal charges were announced. He reiterated the school's commitment to safety guidelines and reminded students that counseling and support services were available. The college also announced an increased security presence on campus.

Richter's family announced her passing in an Instagram post on March 25, describing her as a "beloved member of the FIT community" and organizing a vigil in her honor. The school partnered with her family to facilitate the vigil and collect messages for a memory book in Richter's honor. The fashion college has stated it will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement as the case proceeds.