A 28-year-old Nigerian-Canadian man, Chimezie Nwabueze, has been arrested and charged in Toronto, Canada, in connection with an elaborate online romance scam that reportedly defrauded two victims of more than $600,000 over a two-year period.
The Peel Regional Police disclosed in an official statement that the alleged scam took place between June 2021 and July 2023.
According to investigators, Nwabueze posed as the owner of a lucrative oil rig operation in the Middle East to win the trust of his unsuspecting victims.
Authorities allege that Nwabueze met the victims through a popular online dating platform, where he crafted a convincing identity and built a relationship with them solely through virtual communication.
Throughout the period of the deception, the victims never met the suspect in person.
Under the guise of an emergency, the accused reportedly told the victims that he was facing serious financial troubles related to his oil business operations and urgently needed funds to resolve them.
He allegedly promised to repay the money and frequently assured the victims that he would travel to meet them in person once the issues were resolved.
Believing his story, the victims transferred various amounts of money over several months, eventually totaling $610,382. However, once they began to grow suspicious and questioned the legitimacy of his claims, Nwabueze allegedly cut off all communication, leaving them without explanation or contact.
Following an in-depth investigation, police were able to trace the activities back to Nwabueze and subsequently arrested him. He is now facing multiple charges, including fraud over $5,000, identity theft, and possessing proceeds of crime.
Peel Regional Police are urging anyone who may have had similar experiences or contact with Nwabueze to come forward. The investigation remains ongoing, and police believe there may be more victims who have yet to report their cases.
Law enforcement agencies continue to warn the public about the growing threat of romance fraud, especially through online platforms where scammers take advantage of emotionally vulnerable individuals. In 2023 alone, Canadian authorities reported millions of dollars in losses from similar romance-related schemes.
Authorities are advising people to be cautious when sharing personal or financial information with individuals they have only met online and to report any suspicious activity to the police immediately.
