Mumbai crime: Nigerian national arrested for fraud

Pic/Samiullah Khan

The Aarey police on Friday nabbed a Nigerian national who was allegedly trying to cheat an Indian man posing as a woman on the pretext of marriage and investment with in business.

The accused, identified by the police as Steve Nabusel (37). During interrogation, it was revealed the Nabusel used the same modus operandi for duping many people in Pune and Mumbai. According to the police, they approached their victims by sending them friend requests on social media and dating apps, posing as a woman and start chatting with them. Later, they would share their contact number and start talking to them. The accused also confessed of some other women being used to talk to them.

They used to tell the victims that they would belong to rich families and her parents had died and left behind a lot of wealth. They also told them that they now wanted to invest and start business in India and are looking for the partner.

Also Read: Housing fraud: Man held for duping over 700 people

In this case, the complainant residing in Sakinaka came into the contact of Nabusel two months ago where the accused, posing as a woman from the UK, approached him on Facebook and began chatting soon, after which he shared his contact number with him and started calling him.

After he gained confidence that the complainant has fallen for his trap, he expressed his interest to make investments and to start gym business in all four metropolitan cities of India with him. When the complainant agreed, Nabusel sent him a copy of an agreement to sign a contract. He also demanded Rs 5 lakh, but after reading the contract, the complaint doubted his intentions and informed the police.

Under the guidance of DCP D Swami, senior inspector Nutan Pawar, the detection officer PSI Audhoot Wadikar from Arey police station and his team laid a trap to caught the Nabusel and insisted the complaint to call the accused in the pretext of handing over the amount on Friday. Nabusel was arrested when he came to collect the amount and was brought to the police station.

During interrogation it was revealed that Nabusel posed as the woman and has duped many people in India, with over dozens of cases in his name in Mumbai. When he confessed to committing the crime, he was produced before the court, where he was remanded to the police custody, an official from Aarey police station informed.

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