Toronto man charged after allegedly defrauding victims of more than $600,000 in romance scam

Chimezie Nwabueze, 28, of Toronto, has been arrested and charged in connection with an online romance scam. (PRP photo)

A 28-year-old man from Toronto is facing several charges after allegedly defrauding two victims of more than $600,000 in an online romance scam.

Police say between June 2021 and July 2023, a man purported to be in a romantic relationship with two victims he’d met on 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,” Peel Regional Police (PRP) said in a news release.

Investigators said the victims only communicated with the man electronically and never met him in person.

They added that he apparently ceased all communication with the victims after they confronted him.

The victims were never reimbursed for the funds, which totalled $610,382, PRP said.

On Monday, 28-year-old Chimezie Nwabueze, of Toronto, was arrested and charged with one count each of uttering forged documents, laundering proceeds of crime, participating in activities of criminal organization, and instructing commission of offence for criminal organization, as well as two counts each of fraud over $5,000 and possession of property obtained by crime.

Nwabueze was released on a promise to appear in a Brampton court at a later date.

Investigators from PRP’s Fraud Bureau believe that there may be more victims, alleging that the accused is “part of a larger criminal network that is targeting older adult dating websites for the purpose of exploiting its trusting or vulnerable clientele for the purpose of committing fraud.”

Police noted Nwabueze was previously arrested in November 2023 by PRP for using the “exact same method of operation.” In that case, which is currently before the courts, he allegedly defrauded another victim of more than $250,000.

The investigation is ongoing, police said, and anyone with further information is asked to contact PRP’s Fraud Bureau at 905-453-3311, ext. 3335, or Crime Stoppers anonymously.