The Police Special Fraud Unit, Ikoyi, Lagos, has arrested a model, Cynthia Chioma Atuonah, for allegedly defrauding a 50-year-old German man of $220,000.
The spokesperson for the unit, SP Eyitayo Johnson, in a statement on Wednesday, said the 21-year-old model is a 2019 graduate of Economics from Nnamdi Azikiwe University.
According to him, the suspect lured the victim to Nigeria after meeting him on Instagram by allegedly feigning romantic intentions toward him and promising to marry him.
Johnson said that Chioma introduced herself to the German man as a model and proprietress of a Massage Spa known as The-Chi-Place before promising to marry the foreigner.
The statement reads, “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,” the statement added.
KanyiDaily had also reported how a Yahoo boy, Aiosa Kelvin Orhue (aka Fredrick Leonard) defrauded a white lady of $26,020, N104m with the promise of marriage.
