In a scene that seems straight out of a dramatic thriller, Nicole Pardo Molina, a popular OnlyFans star, was forcibly taken by masked men from her flashy lilac Cybertruck. The brazen daylight kidnapping, captured on the vehicle's cameras, unfolded outside a bustling shopping mall in Culiacan, Sinaloa State.
The 20-year-old influencer, known on Instagram as "La Nicholette," was ambushed by three armed men in a white Toyota Corolla. As the footage shows, Molina valiantly attempted to resist her kidnappers by trying to close the rear passenger door of the Toyota and then desperately attempting to return to her own car. However, the assailants overpowered her, whisking her away as the driver quickly sped off.
"It's terrifying to think that something like this could happen in broad daylight," commented one of Molina's followers on social media, reflecting the shock and concern shared by many.
Born and raised in the United States, Molina's life seemed like a whirlwind of glamor, with her parents still residing in Phoenix, Arizona. She often traveled between Culiacan and Phoenix, sharing her luxurious lifestyle with over 170,000 Instagram followers. Her journey to fame began when she commissioned a traditional Mexican narrative ballad, or corrido, for herself at the age of 16.
The corrido, titled "La Muchacha del Salado" and performed by Grupo Arriesgado, amassed over 27 million views on YouTube, catapulting her into the limelight. Alongside her online persona, Molina was a businesswoman, running a jewelry line and a hat and clothing store in the same shopping plaza where she was kidnapped.
Molina's colorful lifestyle and distinctive lilac Cybertruck made her a well-known figure in Culiacan, a region notorious for its connections to the Sinaloa Cartel. Although rumors swirled about her alleged ties to this powerful cartel faction, there were no confirmed links between Molina and any criminal group.
The area is reportedly under the control of Los Mayos, led by infamous drug lord Ismael Zambada. In her earlier videos, Molina referenced "the man with the hat," a nod to Zambada's nickname, fueling further speculation. Despite these rumors, Molina's kidnapping remains a chilling reminder of the dangers faced by influencers in Mexico, where violence against women and social media personalities is a growing concern.
In 2025 alone, 398 women were reported kidnapped or missing in Sinaloa, with increasing cases of influencers like TikToker Valeria Marquez facing deadly threats. As authorities continue to investigate Molina's disappearance, the world watches, hoping for her safe return.