Lagos police arrest 21-year-old woman for duping German ‘lover’ of $2m

The Lagos state police special fraud unit (PSFU) has arrested one Cynthia Atuonah for duping her German lover of $2,220,000 (about N101 million).

Speaking on Wednesday, Eyitayo Johnson, spokesperson of the PSFU, said the 21-year-old lady lured the victim on Instagram.

Johnson said the suspect claimed to be a model and owner of a massage spa known as “The-Chi-Place’’ on the social media app.

“The suspect, a 2019 graduate of Economics, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, lured the 50-year-old victim on Instagram by feigning romantic intentions toward him, thereby gaining the victim’s trust and goodwill,” NAN quoted the spokesperson as saying.

“She promised to marry the victim; invited him to Nigeria for visits on several occasions and convinced him to emigrate to Nigeria so they could live together as husband and wife.

“In a ploy to dispel suspicion, the victim was made to meet with Atuonah’s parents at Ikot-Abasi, Akwa Ibom, where he received their blessings to marry the suspect.

“The suspect persuaded the victim to return to Germany to sell his house in Stuttgart and forward the proceeds of sale together with his pensions and life savings to her domiciliary account at Fidelity Bank plc.

“The purpose of the money was to buy 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 spokesperson said the suspect admitted that the money was transferred to her account by the victim and that part of the proceeds was used to buy a 2-bedroom terrace apartment at Zara Estate, Ikota Villa, Lekki Phase II.

“Some of the money was also used to support her mother’s business and to pay medical bills of her father, according to her,’’ Johnson added.

He said efforts were ongoing to recover other proceeds of the crime and that Cynthia would be charged in court as soon as the investigation was concluded.