ISTANBUL — A 43-year-old Nigerian national, identified as Kingsley O., has been arrested in Turkey following an extensive investigation into a sophisticated romance scam that defrauded a Hong Kong dentist of $2.5 million.

The Deception

Operating under the alias "Richard," a wealthy American businessman, the suspect began communicating with the victim, identified as Siu P.Y.F., in 2020. Over several months, he cultivated a romantic relationship online, promising the victim marriage.

According to reports from Turkish media outlet Haberler, Kingsley utilized the relationship to solicit funds, claiming he was in Istanbul for business investments. Between 2020 and 2022, the dentist transferred a total of $2.5 million in installments to various Turkish bank accounts controlled by the suspect and his network. The fraud concluded when the suspect abruptly ceased all communication, prompting the victim to report the crime to authorities.

Police Investigation and Arrest

Following the victim’s alert, the Istanbul Police Department’s Fraud Bureau tracked the destination of the transferred funds. Their investigation led to the identification of several account holders, resulting in the detention of five accomplices. During interrogation, one suspect confessed to facilitating the money transfers to Kingsley O.

Police eventually located Kingsley O. and his associates in the Esenyurt district of Istanbul. While the primary suspect has denied all allegations in court, he and his four accomplices have been formally charged with fraud.

The case has drawn attention to the prevalence of "pig butchering" and romance-based cyber fraud schemes, which continue to exploit international victims through trust-based manipulation. Turkish authorities have confirmed that the legal proceedings are ongoing.