A Lakeshore resident has been bilked out of hundreds of thousands of dollars after becoming the victim of a romance scam.
The Ontario Provincial Police said officers began an investigation earlier this month after receiving a complaint from the victim who had been defrauded out of around $370,000. The victim also reported several items had been stolen from their residence, including a vehicle, cash and jewellery.
Authorities said the victim had entered into a relationship with a person who claimed to be terminally ill and in need of money for medical treatment. However, this person did not repay the money and left their shared home.
As a result, police arrested a 37-year-old Toronto man on Wednesday in connection with the incident. He is now charged with three counts of fraud over $5,000 and three counts of theft over $5,000.
The accused remains in custody and will appear in a Windsor court at a later date.
The investigation remains ongoing and anyone with further information is asked to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
