Lt. Michael Bernardo, chief of the Quezon City District Anti Cybercrime Team, released a statement on Thursday, November 3, 2022, naming the suspects as 37-year-old Ikenna Onuoha and 28-year-old Jacel Ann Paderan.
According to police, the Nigerian national and Paderan were lovers, but that the victim, whose identity was suppressed for legal reasons, was also the suspect's boyfriend.
According to the police, the Nigerian guy and the victim began dating in April of 2020 after meeting one other on a dating app.
Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 230 has issued arrest warrants for the suspects on charges of swindling/estafa.
The investigation began with a report from Onuoha's victim, whom he had met on a dating website.
The victim claims she first met the perpetrator in April of 2020. A Turkish national by the name of "Demir Balik," the suspect then identified himself as such.
The victim claims that throughout their online correspondence, the suspect offered many assurances to her.
To the tune of PHP2,282,000, the suspect duped his victim into wiring him money.
The money was allegedly transferred to the bank accounts of Paderan and one Cristine Mae Elizares, according to the police.
According to the victim, Onuoha claimed he needs money to settle a dormant account at a British bank.
The victim "realized she was being duped when the suspect requested for more money from her," Bernardo explained.
The third and final suspect, Elizares, is still at large.
The Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 has been used to file charges against the suspects for things like swindling/estafa and ICT abuse.
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