CHENNAI: A 27-year-old Nigerian, who allegedly conned people into fake businesses and robbed them of crores of rupees, was arrested in New Delhi by Central Crime Branch on Wednesday. The police have also identified a gang of seven who have cheated businessmen through online ad portal by striking fake deals. According to the police, seven Nigerians residing in New Delhi pick out agents and entrepreneurs from online portals like Indiamart to strike business deals.
The whole crime racket came to light after the arrest of Q Fulgens Kristopher Wilmer (27) on Wednesday.
In 2019, one KM Joseph from Kilpauk lodged a police complaint stating that he was cheated off Rs 40.5 lakh by unidentified people. Joseph owned a mattress business, and last year a person contacted him on Facebook claiming to be ‘Elizabeth’ from London.
“She said she owned a pharmaceutical company, which had found a cure for blood cancer. But they needed folic oil which can be procured only from India,” said a police officer. Fulgens Kristopher Wilmer, who was calling as Elizabeth, asked Joseph to purchase the folic oil from a manufacturer in Mumbai and export it to London.
“Joseph was told that once the oil reached London, he would receive his money along with commission in pounds. Joseph was asked to contact one Sunitha from Mumbai to purchase the oil,” police said. One of Wilmer’s associates who was posing as Sunitha asked Joseph to pay Rs 40,50,000 for 150 litres of folic oil. Joseph made the payment in ten different transactions through five different banks.
Even many months later, Joseph received neither the folic oil nor his money back. Realising the fraud, he lodged a complaint at the Cyber Crime Cell in Chennai. The police on Wednesday arrested Wilmer in New Delhi, and a search for his associates is on.