A 21-year-old UNIZIK graduate has been arrested for a $220,000 romance scam.
Glamtush reports that the Police Special Fraud Unit, Ikoyi, Lagos, have arrested a 21-year-old lady female graduate, Atuonah Cynthia Chioma, for allegedly defrauding a 50-year-old German of $220,000, after promising to marry him.
The spokesperson for the unit, SP Eyitayo Johnson, who confirmed the arrest in a statement on Wednesday, said the suspect lured the victim on Instagram by allegedly feigning romantic intentions towards him.
The statement read in part, “The suspect, a 2019 graduate of Economics, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka; who claimed to be a model and proprietress of a massage spa known as The-Chi-Place, lured the 50-year-old victim on Instagram by feigning romantic intentions towards him, thereby gaining the victims’ trust and goodwill.
“Miss Atuonah promised to marry the victim, invited him to Nigeria for visits on several occasions and convinced him to relocate permanently to Nigeria to live together as husband and wife.
“In a ploy to dispel suspicion, the victim was made to meet with Atuonah Chiomas’ parents at Ikot-Abasi, Akwa Ibom State, where he received their blessings to marry their daughter.
“The victim was persuaded by the suspect to return to Germany to sell his house in Stuttgart, and forward the proceeds of sale, together with his pension and life savings to her domiciliary account in bank; for the purpose of purchasing a house in Nigeria where they will both live as husband and wife as well as to establish a joint business outfit as indicated in the bank transfer narration.”
The police said during an interview session, the suspect admitted in her statement that the sum of $220,000 was transferred to her account by the victim.
“Part of the proceed was then used to buy a two-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.
“Efforts are ongoing to recover other proceeds of the crime while the Unit remains committed to diligently investigate and prosecute fraudsters who are out there damaging the image of the country.
The suspect will be charged in court as soon as the investigation is concluded, he added
