A bestselling author known for her 'sexposé' books has been arrested in the Bahamas on charges of kidnapping her son and evading capture worldwide for nearly two years. The Daily Mail was the first too report this. Barbara Stcherbatcheff, the glamorous author, was exposed and arrested was arrested for kidnaping her son.
Stcherbatcheff, a 42-year-old American expatriate, investment banker, and former newspaper columnist, who authored a book titled The Devil Wears Pinstripes, vanished in February 2023 with her eight-year-old son, Valentin Stankowski. The blonde divorcee took her son from her ex-husband's home in Zurich, Switzerland, but failed to bring him back after a week-long visit, as planned, according to authorities.
Sexy Mom Kidnaps Son
Interpol issued a "yellow notice" missing person alert, listing several countries— including the UK, Ireland, Croatia, the US, Mexico, Belize, and Costa Rica— as potential locations where the fugitive mother and her son could have gone.
However, Daily Mail has finally revealed that the case was finally resolved on Tuesday when Bahamian authorities raided an exclusive gated community on New Providence Island and found the pair.
Stcherbatcheff had been staying 5,000 miles away from Zurich with a local man, reportedly her new boyfriend, according to a police source.
She was arrested in Lyford Cay, a luxurious private community known for its ultra-wealthy expat residents, including members of the Bacardi family and British businessman Joe Lewis. Homes in the area can cost up to $70 million.
Notable former residents include actor Sean Connery and author Arthur Hailey.
Valentin, who holds both Swiss and British citizenship, turned 10 in October and was found unharmed. Authorities on the island are caring for him while awaiting the arrival of his father, Daniel Stankowski, who is flying in from Switzerland, a source revealed.
Stcherbatcheff, a former columnist for The London Paper and the author of the 2009 Sunday Times bestseller Confessions of a City Girl, was arrested.
While Interpol has not released further details, it's believed that the former couple had been involved in a contentious custody battle before Valentin disappeared.
Fighting for Custody
Appearing in a Bahamian court on Wednesday, Stcherbatcheff gave her name as Barbara Lynn Murphy and claimed she hadn't used her former surname, Stcherbatcheff, in years. Magistrate Kara Turnquest-Deveaux told her that Swiss authorities had requested her extradition on charges of kidnapping and child abduction.
Prosecutor Darnell Dorsette confirmed that Valentin was safely in the custody of social services.
For now, Stcherbatcheff will remain behind bars at Nassau's Fox Hill prison, notorious for its poor conditions, including infestations. This is the same facility where fellow American Lindsay Shiver is being held while awaiting trial for allegedly conspiring to murder her husband.
Stcherbatcheff was raised in Woodstock, Illinois, and later attended Colgate University in New York before joining the prestigious Tuck Bridge Program at Dartmouth College, an Ivy League school.
She moved to the UK to pursue a career in investment banking, eventually transitioning to journalism, contributing to outlets such as Newsweek and The Daily Telegraph.
From 2008 to 2009, Stcherbatcheff wrote an anonymous "City Girl" column for The London Paper, revealing the lavish and extravagant lifestyle within the finance world.
She expanded on these themes in her book Confessions of a City Girl, which she subtitled The Devil Wears Pinstripes. Using the pen name Suzana S, she shared a bold insider's perspective on London's financial sector, receiving widespread critical praise.
