The Canadian police have declared four Nigerian students wanted for allegedly defrauding victims of over $2 million through online romance scams.
The students are Kelvin Awani, 24, Jonah Eigbuluese, 22, Joshua Ometie, 25 and Clinton Newton, 27.
The arrest warrant was issued by Federal RCMP officers after police investigation linking the Nigerian students who live in Regina, Canada, to over 50 Canadian bank accounts.
The police found the identities of the boys after lots of surveillance operations and numerous interviews which led to the arrest of Austin Newton, 28 while the other four young men are still at large but police believe they are still in Canada.
Austin is to make his next appearance at Regina provincial court on April 21.
According to the Canadian police, they were surprised by how dedicated the alleged scammers were to defrauding their victims as they showed so much patience and made their victims fall in love with them.
According to the Saskatchewan RCMP anyone who knew the location of the alleged scammers should contact RCMP at (306) 310-7267.
Police say the five men were living in Regina during the time. Austin Newton was arrested in January, but the other four suspects could be anywhere in Canada, police say.
The warrants were issued following an 18-month investigation by federal RCMP officers that involved a series of surveillance operations, numerous interviews and the investigation of over 50 Canadian bank accounts.
“Police determined the five individuals have ties to what is believed to be a larger international criminal organization involved in the long-term running of online romance scams,” said the Saskatchewan RCMP in a press release.
KanyiDaily recalls that last month, the FBI also arrested 13 Nigerians over alleged $30million money laundering scheme in the United States.