Woman Accused of Spiking Acquaintance’s Tea at Restaurant After Dispute Over Bank Accounts

A meeting at a New Jersey restaurant took a frightening turn when a woman allegedly drank tea laced with a sedative, collapsed shortly afterward and later woke up in a hospital with no memory of how she had arrived there.

According to prosecutors, 52-year-old Rohweniven Bacani of Hackensack, New Jersey, met an acquaintance at a restaurant in Fort Lee on September 8, 2026. The two women had reportedly arranged the meeting to discuss suspicious banking activity involving financial accounts to which Bacani had access.

When the acquaintance arrived, Bacani allegedly already had a cup of tea prepared for her. The woman took several sips but stopped drinking after noticing an unusual taste.

Prosecutors said the woman collapsed while leaving the restaurant. She was taken for medical treatment and remained hospitalized for several days before beginning her recovery.

Investigators later determined that the tea allegedly contained a benzodiazepine, a type of medication that can cause sedation and affect the central nervous system. Authorities said the suspected poisoning prompted a criminal investigation.

Bacani was arrested in October and charged with third-degree aggravated assault. She was being held at Bergen County Jail while awaiting her first court appearance, according to reports.

The case has raised troubling questions about the meeting and the alleged financial dispute that preceded the incident. Investigators have not publicly established a motive beyond the circumstances described in the charging allegations.

Bacani is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

Source: PEOPLE