A New Jersey man allegedly posed as a nurse on a dating app and Facebook before kidnapping and abusing at least four women, according to charges announced Monday.
Charging documents showed Herman Calvin Brightman, 30, faces an eight-count indictment for crimes committed between January 2022 and September 2023.
Brightman, from West New York, NJ, used social media platforms, including Facebook and the dating app Hinge to post under aliases “Nazir Griffiths” or “Nazir Luckett,” sharing photos of him dressed as a nurse. He met multiple women and dated some of them.
Once he began dating them, Brightman would allegedly become violent toward the women. At least four victims are known, according to the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, and New York City Police Department.
Brightman allegedly held women at knife-point
In July 2022, Brightman allegedly held a woman he had been dating and her minor child at knife-point, forcing her to travel to his home in New Jersey. He allegedly threatened to kill her if she caused “any problems,” holding on to her for an entire evening to prevent her from escaping, per the indictment.
Then in August 2023, another woman Brightman had been dating fell victim. He allegedly held her at knife-point at her home in Queens, NY and brutally attacked her, allegedly telling her he would “gut her like a fish.” He allegedly bound her hands and tried to tape up her mouth, authorities said.
A month later, Brightman traveled from New Jersey to the Bronx, NY, where he allegedly lured a third woman he had been dating into his car, the indictment said. He then allegedly forced her to call the woman from Queens, before punching her on the arm, according to the indictment.
This third victim managed to escape and contacted the police. A few days later, Brightman showed up at her workplace, allegedly asking her if she had contacted the cops before assaulting her, authorities said.
Later that month, September 2023, Brightman traveled to the Bronx once more, to the home of a fourth woman he had dated. He convinced her to let him into her home, where he then allegedly assaulted and strangled her. Brightman also threatened to rape and kill the woman, per the indictment.
Brightman faces a potential life sentence
“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,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said.
“He then quickly became physically abusive towards them, going so far as to kidnap the women at knifepoint and threaten to kill them. Today’s charges put a stop to this abusive and violent behavior. We thank and commend the courageous women who came forward to report Brightman,” he added.
Williams’ office and the NYPD are looking for more potential victims of Brightman. They are asking anyone with information, or other victims, to call 1-866-874-8900 and reference the case.
Brightman faces charges including the kidnapping of a minor, which itself carries a minimum 20-year sentence and a maximum of life.
He is also charged with one count of threatening physical harm by interstate communication, one count of cyberstalking, two counts of kidnapping, two counts of travel in interstate commerce to commit a crime of violence and one count of travel in interstate commerce to stalk.
