A 28-year-old Nigerian man, Chimezie Nwabueze, has been arrested in Toronto, Canada, for allegedly defrauding two women of over $600,000 in an elaborate online romance scam.
According to Peel Regional Police (PRP), Nwabueze posed as the owner of an oil rig in the Middle East and engaged in online relationships with his victims between June 2021 and July 2023.
During this period, he reportedly convinced them he urgently needed financial assistance, promising to pay them back and eventually meet in person.
Authorities revealed that the victims only communicated with Nwabueze online and never met him physically.
He allegedly cut off all contact after they began questioning him. Police say the victims lost a total of $610,382 and were never reimbursed.
Nwabueze was arrested on Monday and faces multiple charges, including two counts of fraud over $5,000, uttering forged documents, laundering proceeds of crime, possession of property obtained by crime, and participating in and instructing the commission of offences for a criminal organisation.
He was released on a promise to appear in court in Brampton at a later date.
Investigators suspect Nwabueze may be linked to a larger criminal network targeting vulnerable individuals on older adult dating platforms.
PRP also disclosed that he had previously been arrested in November 2023 for a similar scam, in which another victim was allegedly defrauded of more than $250,000. That case is currently before the courts.
The investigation remains active, and authorities are urging anyone with relevant information to contact the PRP Fraud Bureau.
