By Ado Oyeyemi
Turkish authorities have arrested a Nigerian national, identified as Kingsley O., over his alleged involvement in a romance scam that reportedly defrauded a Hong Kong-based dentist of $2.5 million.
The suspect was apprehended alongside four others in Esenyurt, a district of Istanbul Province, following a lengthy investigation into an alleged online fraud operation that spanned two years.
According to reports from Turkish media, Kingsley allegedly assumed the identity of an American businessman known as Richard and established contact with the victim, identified as Siu P.Y.F., through the internet in 2020.
Investigators said the suspect cultivated a long-distance relationship with the woman and allegedly promised to marry her while claiming to be executing a major investment project in Istanbul.
Authorities alleged that during the relationship, he repeatedly sought financial support from the victim, convincing her to transfer funds to multiple bank accounts in Turkey.
Believing the relationship was genuine and would lead to marriage, the dentist reportedly transferred a total of $2.5 million in several instalments between 2020 and 2022.
The woman later became suspicious after communication with the suspect abruptly ceased.
Efforts to reach him reportedly failed, prompting her to file a complaint with law enforcement authorities in Hong Kong.
Initial investigations reportedly produced no breakthrough, leading the victim to engage legal representation in Turkey and submit a petition to the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Subsequent investigations by the Istanbul Police Department’s Fraud Bureau traced the accounts that received the funds, resulting in the arrest of five account holders.
Police said while four of the suspects denied involvement in the alleged scheme, one reportedly admitted transferring money received through his account to a Nigerian man identified as Richard.
The statement allegedly provided investigators with a lead that linked the transactions to Kingsley, who was later arrested during a police operation.
The suspect reportedly denied all allegations during interrogation.
Following the conclusion of investigations, Kingsley and the other suspects were arraigned before a court under tight security.
Authorities allege that the scheme relied on a false identity and promises of marriage to persuade the victim to part with substantial sums of money.
The case remains under investigation as Turkish authorities continue efforts to determine the full extent of the alleged fraud network.
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