Nigerian Arrested in Turkey for $2.5M Romance Scam

Kingslei O., a Nigerian man, was arrested in Turkey for allegedly defrauding a Hong Kong-based dentist of $2.5 million in a romance scam. According to Turkish news outlets, Kingslei and four accomplices were apprehended in the Esenyurt district of Istanbul following an investigation into an online fraud scheme that spanned two years.

The suspect allegedly posed as an American businessman named Richard and began a long-distance relationship with the victim, identified as Siu P.Y.F., in 2020, promising marriage. The victim was convinced to invest in a major project in Istanbul, leading to the transfer of $2.5 million into several bank accounts in Turkey between 2020 and 2022.

After losing contact with the suspect, the victim reported the matter to the authorities. The initial investigation by the Hong Kong Police yielded no results, prompting the victim to engage a Turkish lawyer to lodge a complaint with the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

The Istanbul Police Department's fraud bureau traced the bank accounts and arrested the suspects, who denied knowledge of the transactions. Kingslei was identified as the alleged mastermind behind the scheme.