The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) identified the suspects as Ikenna Onuoha, 37, and Jacel Paderan, 28. They were arrested in Bacoor, Cavite on Tuesday, Lt. Michael Bernardo, team leader of Quezon City District Anti Cybercrime Team said.
A Nigerian national and his live-in partner have been arrested in Cavite province in the Philippines for allegedly swindling at least P2.2 million (about N16.5 million) from the African’s supposed former lover.
The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) identified the suspects as Ikenna Onuoha, 37, and Jacel Paderan, 28. They were arrested in Bacoor, Cavite on Tuesday, Lt. Michael Bernardo, team leader of Quezon City District Anti Cybercrime Team said.
Police said the Nigerian national and Paderan were apparently lovers but that the victim, whose name was withheld by authorities, was also Onuoha’s lover.
Police said the Nigerian man and the victim met on an online dating app and had been in a relationship since April 2020. The Nigerian introduced himself as Demir Balik to the victim.
The suspects have pending arrest warrants for swindling issued by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 230.
In the course of their virtual relationship, the victim said the suspect made a lot of promises which she believed. He managed to convince the victim to send him money, totalling PHP2,282,000, Philippines News Agency reports.
According to the police, the money was sent to the bank accounts of Paderan and a certain Cristine Mae Elizares.
The victim said Onuoha told her that he has a dormant account in a bank in the United Kingdom and that he needs money to settle it.
However, the Nigerian man and Paderan turned out to be subjects of outstanding warrants for swindling or estafa issued by Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 230, according to police.
The alleged scam involved Onuoha claiming that he had plans to visit the Philippines but that he needed the victim to help him financially because he was purportedly having problems with his online bank account.
The Nigerian allegedly instructed the victim to initially wire P254,000 to a certain “Mohammed” bank account, which authorities later found to be Paderan. He asked for more money, forcing the victim to sell her property eventually.
In July 2020, Onuoha apparently arrived at the Cebu International Airport. But a certain Stephanie Evangelista called the victim and asked for P650,000 supposedly to pay for a certificate from the Anti-Money Laundering Council to purportedly release the suspect’s money worth $1 million.
As soon as money was requested, the victim became wary. She then decided to seek the help of the police.
All in all, however, the victim gave the suspects around P2.282 million.
The third suspect, Elizares, remains at large.
