Nigerian man arrested in Turkey for $2.5m romance scam

A Nigerian man identified as Kingsley O. has been arrested in Turkey for allegedly defrauding a Hong Kong-based dentist of $2.5 million through a romance scam that spanned two years. According to Turkish news outlet Haberler on Friday, Kingsley and four accomplices were arrested in Esenyurt, a district of Istanbul Province, following an investigation into an alleged online fraud scheme.

The suspect allegedly posed as an American businessman named Richard, met the victim identified as Siu P.Y.F. online in 2020 and promised to marry her. Investigators said the pair maintained a long-distance relationship through phone communication, during which the suspect allegedly convinced the woman that he was carrying out a major investment project in Istanbul and needed financial assistance. Believing they would eventually get married, the dentist reportedly transferred a total of $2.5 million in instalments to several bank accounts in Turkey between 2020 and 2022.

After receiving the funds, the suspect allegedly cut off communication and became unreachable, prompting the victim to report the matter to authorities in Hong Kong. Initial investigations by Hong Kong police did not yield results, leading the victim to engage a Turkish lawyer and lodge a complaint with the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. Operatives of the Istanbul Police Department's Fraud Bureau traced the bank accounts that received the funds and arrested five account holders, with one suspect allegedly telling investigators that he handed over the money received in his account to a Nigerian man known to him as Richard. Kingsley was arrested during a police operation and taken into custody for questioning, though he denied the allegations during interrogation. He and five other suspects were later arraigned in court under tight security.