By Springnewsng Media Limited | May 5, 2025

Toronto, Canada – The Peel Regional Police have arrested and charged Chimezie Nwabueze, a 28-year-old Nigerian man based in Toronto, for allegedly defrauding two victims of over $600,000 through an online romance scam involving a fictitious oil rig business.

In a statement released by the police and obtained by SpringNewsNG, Nwabueze was taken into custody on Monday, April 28, 2025, and charged with multiple criminal offences. These include:

Fraud Over $5,000 (2 counts)

Possession of Property Obtained by Crime (2 counts)

Uttering Forged Documents

Laundering the Proceeds of Crime

Participation in a Criminal Organization

Instructing the Commission of Offences for a Criminal Organization

The police report revealed that between June 2021 and July 2023, Nwabueze used an online dating platform to deceive victims into believing they were in genuine romantic relationships. He claimed he owned an oil rig in the Middle East and urgently needed money to settle business issues. The victims, who never met him in person, transferred a total of $610,382 USD before he abruptly cut off all communication.

However, Nwabueze was released on an undertaking and is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton at a later date.

Authorities further disclosed that Nwabueze had previously been arrested in November 2023 by Peel Regional Police in connection with a similar romance fraud, where another victim was scammed out of $250,000 using the same tactics. That case remains active in court.

“Fraud investigators believe there are potentially more victims,” the statement added, “and that Nwabueze is part of a larger criminal organization targeting older adult dating platforms to exploit vulnerable individuals.”

The police are urging anyone who believes they may have been a victim of similar fraud to come forward.