Vienna to Salzburg

“Love scam” fraudster deprived victim of 700,000 euros

A 33-year-old posed on the internet as an American actress and heiress to millions. He is said to have defrauded victims from Vienna, Lower Austria and Salzburg of 700,000 euros. The suspect was taken to the Vienna-Josefstadt prison after being arrested in Amsterdam.

Using false promises of love, a 33-year-old is said to have tricked four men from Lower Austria, Vienna and Salzburg out of more than 700,000 euros. The Nigerian is said to have contacted the victims via social media and posed as an American actress and millionaire heiress. The Lower Austrian State Criminal Police Office investigated the man as a suspect. According to police reports on Thursday, he was arrested in Amsterdam and extradited to Austria.

Contact was made via social media
Contact was made with the later victims via social media platforms from August 2019 to March 2020, after which communication took place via a messenger service with phone numbers from Malaysia and Florida. The 33-year-old is said to have been staying in a hotel in Dubai at the time of the crime, the Lower Austrian police reported.

An alleged million-dollar inheritance and real estate transactions in Asia were faked, and forged contracts and documents were also presented. The victims were tricked into making a total of 53 transfers to Malaysia as part of the "love scam". The money was transferred to other foreign accounts or paid in cash by an international group of perpetrators in the Southeast Asian country.

Suspect arrested in Amsterdam
An international arrest warrant was obtained for the suspect via the Salzburg public prosecutor's office. In close cooperation with the Federal Criminal Police Office, search measures were initiated for the suspected "love scammer".

On August 11, the 33-year-old was arrested by the notified Dutch police authorities when he entered Amsterdam. Ten days later, he was transferred to Austria and refused to make a statement when questioned. The Nigerian was taken to the Vienna-Josefstadt prison.