The Canadian Police has disclosed that it arrested and arraigned a Nigerian, Chimezie Nwabueze, for his alleged involvement in a $600,000 romance scam.
A statement on the website of the Peel Regional Police obtained by PUNCH Metro on Sunday disclosed that Nwabueze was arrested on April 28.
The statement noted that Nwabueze had allegedly lied to his victims that he owned an oil rig in the Middle East, which he needed money to sort out with the promise of repayment.
Nwabueze was said to have cut off communication with the victims when they confronted him, leaving the victims with a loss of $610,382.
The statement noted, “Between June 2021 and July 2023, two victims believed they were in a genuine romantic relationship with the suspect, whom they met through an online dating platform.
“The suspect fraudulently claimed to own an ‘Oil Rig’ in the Middle East and urgently needed money, promising repayment and an eventual meeting. The victims only communicated with him electronically and never met in person.
“After the victims confronted the suspect, he cut off all communication. They were never reimbursed and suffered a total financial loss of $610,382.
Following his arrest, the suspect was arraigned before a Justice Court in Brampton on six-count offences bordering on money laundering, participation in crime and fraud.
However, he was granted bail on undertaking and would appear before the court at a later date.
The statement continued, “On Monday, April 28, 2025, Chimezie Nwabueze, a 28-year-old man from Toronto, was arrested and charged with the following criminal offences.
“Fraud Over $5000 X2, possession of property obtained by crime X2, utter forged documents, laundering proceeds of crime, participating in activities of a criminal organisation and instructing the commission of the offence for a criminal organisation.
“Nwabueze was released on an undertaking and will appear later before the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton.”
The statement recalled that Nwabueze had been arrested before for a similar fraud of about $250,000 in 2023, and the case was still ongoing in court.
“Fraud investigators believe that there are potentially more victims, and Nwabueze is part of a larger criminal network that is targeting older adult dating websites to exploit its trusting or vulnerable clientele to commit fraud.
“Nwabueze was arrested in November 2023 by the Peel Regional Polic,e where he used the same method of operation and defrauded another victim for over $250,000. That case is currently before the courts,” the statement concluded.
