21-Year-Old Lady Arrested After Scamming Victim Of $220,000 In Online Romance Scheme
A 21-year-old lady, Atuonah Cynthia Chioma, has been arrested in connection with an alleged online romance scam that cost a German victim the sum of Two Hundred and Twenty Thousand Dollars ($220,000USD).
In a news release on Wednesday, the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Ikoyi-Lagos, said the suspect met the 50-year old victim on Instagram and lured him by feigning romantic intentions towards him, thereby gaining the victims’ trust and goodwill.
The suspect promised to marry the victim, invited him to Nigeria on several occasions and convinced him to relocate permanently to Nigeria so they could live together as husband and wife.
In a ploy to dispel suspicion, the victim was also made to meet with the suspect’s parents at Ikot-Abasi, Akwa Ibom State, where he received their blessings to marry their daughter.
According to the Police, the victim was further persuaded by the suspect to sell his house in Stuttgart, Germany, and transfer the proceeds of sale, together with his pension and life savings to her domiciliary account in Fidelity Bank plc, which will be used to purchase a house in Nigeria where they will both live as a married couple as well as establish a joint business outfit, as indicated in the bank transfer narration.
The victim sent the money which the suspect fraudulently converted to her personal use.
“During the interview session, the suspect admitted in her statement that the sum of Two Hundred and Twenty Thousand Dollars ($220,000USD) was transferred to her account by the victim. Part of the proceed was used then used to buy a 2-Bedroom Terrace apartment at Zara Estate, Ikota Villa, Lekki Phase II, while some of the funds was sent to support her mother’s business and to pay medical bills of her father,” the Unit’s Spokesperson, SP Eyitayo Johnson, said.
He added that efforts are ongoing to recover other proceeds of the crime and the suspect will be charged to Court as soon as investigation is concluded.
The suspect graduated from Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Department of Economics in 2019 and claims to be a Model and Proprietress of a Massage Spa.
Meanwhile, the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU) has restated that it remains committed to diligently investigate and prosecute fraudsters damaging the image of the country.
