Officers of the Philippine Police have arrested Ikenna Onouha, a Nigerian, and Jacel Ann Paderan, his partner, in Bacoor City, Cavite, for their involvement in an internet love scam worth PHP2.2 million (N17,000,900).

Lieutenant Michael Bernardo, the team leader of Quezon City District Anti Cybercrime Team, made this known in a statement on Thursday.

The police had obtained arrest warrants by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 230 for Onouha and his collaborators. They were all accused of estafa, the criminal offence of swindling or the use of fraud and deceit that causes loss to another.

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According to a local report, one of Onouha’s victims whom he met at a dating site wrote a complaint to the police.

This victim reported that her relationship with Onouha kicked off in April 2020. Onouha had introduced himself as “Demir Balik”, a Turkish national, at the time.

Onouha’s victim said that after he gained her trust and made some promises, he convinced her to send him PHP2,282,000 in bits.

According to the victim, Onouha told her that he had a dormant bank account in the United Kingdom. He told her that he needed some money to help him access that dormant account.

The victim’s money went to accounts Paderan and one Cristine Mae Elizares operated.

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Onouha and Paderan “were arrested in an operation by QCDACT and the Quezon City District Special Operation Unit personnel in Molino, Bacoor City, Cavite on Nov. 1,” Bernado told local media. Police said that Elizares was still at large.

“When the suspect asked for more money from the victim, it was then that she realized that she was being conned and decided to report the incident to our office,” Bernardo said.

A court has not fixed the date for Onouha’s trial yet.