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An Edmonton man who allegedly travelled to Manitoba from Alberta and defrauded three seniors of $37,000 is also accused of transporting a teenage girl into the province and sexually assaulting her.<\/p>\n
The 29-year-old is accused of defrauding three people in the 80s by pretending to be their grandson, Winnipeg police said in a Tuesday news release.<\/p>\n
One of the victims of the scam received calls between Aug. 17-22 from someone posing as their grandson, who claimed he had been arrested and needed bail money.<\/p>\n
The man then went to the home of that person four times to pick up cash the victim agreed to pay, as well as gold and silver coins.<\/p>\n
A second victim received a similar call on Aug. 18. That person, too, agreed to pay and the man visited the victim to pick up money.<\/p>\n
Between Aug. 20-21, a third person got calls from someone pretending to be their grandson. The man came to that person’s home twice to collect, police said.<\/p>\n
It was that third victim who called police after checking with their family members and learning it was a scam.<\/p>\n
Investigators soon after located the 29-year-old man in a vehicle, and a search found evidence linked to all three victims, police said.<\/p>\n
After an investigation by the financial crimes and major crimes units, the Edmonton man was charged with fraud over $5,000, two counts of fraud under $5,000, and one count each of possession of methamphetamine and fentanyl.<\/p>\n
Following his arrest, investigators determined the man had brought a teenage girl with him from Edmonton to Winnipeg, police said.<\/p>\n
The girl told investigators she and the man were staying at a short-term rental in Winnipeg, where she was sexually assaulted. She didn’t have a way home on her own, she told police.<\/p>\n
The Winnipeg police sex crimes unit subsequently charged the 29-year-old man with sexual assault, sexual assault with a weapon and sexual interference. <\/p>\n
The girl was returned home, police say. The man remains in custody.<\/p>\n
Winnipeg police encourage people who believe they’ve been scammed to report it online.<\/a><\/p>\n They advise anyone who believes they or a loved one might be a victim of a grandparent or emergency scam in particular to contact the financial crimes unit at 204-986-6231. <\/p>\n