A Nigerian man, identified as Johnson, has been arrested in Delhi for allegedly duping an Indian woman from Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, of ₹15.72 lakh (approximately N9.1 million) through a fraudulent marriage proposal.
According to the Rajnandgaon Police, the accused created a fake profile on a matrimonial website, where he connected with the victim.
Posing as a UK-based businessman planning to expand his business in India, Johnson gained the victim’s trust.
He later contacted the woman through an associate, claiming he was stranded at Delhi airport and urgently needed money to exchange his UK currency. Persuaded by his plea, the woman transferred the funds.
Additional Superintendent of Police Rahul Dev Sharma revealed that Johnson, with the help of an accomplice, used the situation to blackmail and defraud the victim.
After the money was sent, Johnson cut off all communication, leaving the victim unable to reach him.
Realizing she had been scammed, the woman reported the incident to the Dongargarh Police cyber cell, which launched an investigation.
Using digital traces, police located Johnson in Delhi and apprehended him during a raid on his residence.
Authorities discovered that Johnson had overstayed his visa and passport validity. Four mobile phones, a laptop, and other incriminating evidence were recovered during the arrest, and his bank account has been frozen.
“We started an investigation on the complaint of the applicant. With the help of a cyber cell, it was found that the accused lives in Delhi. Our team raided his Delhi accommodation and arrested him.
“Accused Johnson is a resident of Nigeria. He has cheated on many girls so far. We are trying to gather further information through interrogation,” said ASP Sharma.
The police have described Johnson, who is around 40 years old, as a serial fraudster operating across multiple regions.
Further investigations are underway to determine the extent of his activities and track down his accomplices.
