A man who posed in hospital scrubs pretending be be a nurse on social media to trick women into dates has been seized by police and accused of a sickening catalogue of abuse.
Herman Calvin Brightman, 30, used Facebook and Hinge to lure in women attracted to his faked caring persona.
But, say police in New York City, USA, in reality, he was a violent, manipulative thug who threatened and battered his victims after gaining their trust.
Brutal Brightman even held one woman and her two-year-old daughter at knifepoint when he kidnapped them, say investigators.
Brightman is accused of abusing four women and a minor during a shocking 20-month period where he hunted for potential victims on social media.
Police say that in every case Brightman turned violent and aggressive soon after meeting them. Especially if they tried to end the relationship.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: “As alleged, for over a year, Herman Brightman preyed upon woman after woman using the internet to lure these women into meeting and dating him and posing as a nurse or nurse practitioner to gain their trust.
“He then quickly became physically abusive towards them, going so far as to kidnap the women at knifepoint and threaten to kill them.”
Brightman has been charged with kidnapping, interstate travel to commit domestic violence, interstate communication of a threat, cyberstalking, and interstate stalking.
An indictment announced by the U.S. Department of Justice on 11th December said: “Brightman lured each of these victims into a romantic relationship.
“Brightman began a disturbing pattern of abuse, during which he assaulted, kidnapped, threatened, and stalked the victims.”
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It continued: “The defendant kidnapped, one of the victims and her minor child at knifepoint. Bound and gagged a second victim while he threatened to kill her.
“Punched and choked a third victim, then stalked her at her workplace to ensure she did not report the attack to the authorities. And held a fourth victim hostage in her apartment and repeatedly assaulted her until she escaped.”
Attorney Williams added: “Today’s charges put a stop to this abusive and violent behaviour.
“We thank and commend the courageous women who came forward to report Brightman.”
NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said: “The men and women of the NYPD condemn these deeply disturbing and heinous acts allegedly committed by a serial predator.
“Across jurisdictional boundaries, we and our law enforcement partners take all accusations of abuse seriously. And remain dedicated to ensuring justice for the victims.”
