Man Poses as White on Facebook to Defraud Woman
A Nigerian national, Gabriel Okori, was arrested in South Africa for defrauding a woman of R3 million through a romance scam.
Posing as a white man named “Mark Hermanus” on Facebook, Okori established an online relationship with the victim, later claiming his son needed urgent medical care to persuade her to send him money.
The scam continued over time, with the victim eventually transferring over R3 million before realizing it was fraudulent.
The case was reported to South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), leading to Okori’s arrest. He has been remanded in custody and is set to appear in court again on October 14, 2024.