A Nigerian and his Hyderabadi associate landed behind the bars here on Thursday for allegedly tricking an Australian to part with 95,000 dollars with a marriage alliance bait.
Telangana Crime Investigation Department (CID) officials arrested a Nigerian Mohammed Hassani Barua and his Hyderabadi associate Mohsin Agha on charge of duping the Australian. However, two other Nigerians and a woman, involved in the case, were still at large.
The Australian, a 60-year-old divorcee, came in contact with the woman through a dating website in January, 2016. Claiming that she too was a divorcee, the woman ‘Sarah Haimish’ befriended the Australian.
“She used to speak with him over phone and maintained that she was of Australian origin,” CID, Cyber Crime, Additional SP U. Rammohan said. She told him that she had a son and had to look after him though she was ready to marry him.
Big gang
Actually, the woman — whose identity was not yet known to the investigators — was member of the gang, comprising three Nigerians and a Hyderabadi. “Luring men with marriage alliance baits through dating websites and tricking them into part with money is their modus operandi,” Mr. Rammohan said.
As part of the plan, ‘Ms. Sarah Haimish’, whom the Australian wanted to marry, made him believe that she was about to get 2.1 million dollars from the Government and had to pay nearly 10% of it to the Government as tax. She maintained that she was into the business of garments in India and living at Hyderabad.
Trusting her, the Australian assured to help her in clearing the tax. He began transferring money online to the bank accounts she had specified. Meanwhile, in June, 2016, the Australian flew to Hyderabad to meet her.
Taken for a ride
“But the woman was not here and told him that she had been to Dubai on some business work. The Australian flew to Dubai as well but couldn’t contact her,” the CID officials said. From Dubai, the Australian went back to Adelaide and returned to Hyderabad again.
By this time, the Australian had transferred 95,000 dollars. In the second trip also, he could not meet the woman as the latter claimed that she was busy with some work. Eventually, he realised that the woman had taken him for a ride, and lodged a complaint with the CID officials.
While Agha and Barua were arrested, hunt was on to catch the remaining two Nigerians and ‘Ms. Sarah Haimish’.
