A Quebec man who attempted to swindle a Gravenhurst senior found himself in front of a judge recently.
Reda Ahaquaze, 21, pled guilty to fraud under $5,000 in a Bracebridge courtroom.
Court heard that on May 2, 2023, the OPP received a call from a Gravenhurst senior citizen saying that he suspected he was being conned as part of a so-called “grandparent’s scam.” The victim said someone had called him claiming to be his grandson and saying he needed $7,100 to get bailed out of jail. The scammer said he would send a courier to pick up the cash.
The victim went to the bank and withdrew the cash but became suspicious and called the police who were waiting for the scammer, Ahaquaze, when he arrived.
When the police arrested Ahaquaze, they found three envelopes of cash on his person. One contained $13,860 CDN, one containerized $700 US, and the third contained $240 in Euros.
Through an investigation, the police uncovered that Ahaquaze had scammed an Orillia senior earlier that same day. He had called the victim in Orillia, impersonating his grandson and claiming that he had been in a car accident and injured a pregnant woman. He passed through the phone to another man who claimed to be a lawyer and advised the victim to withdraw $6,000. Ahaquaze, again posing as a courier, arrived at the Orillia residence and relieved the man of the cash. He was identified later via a doorbell camera.
It was unclear where the remainder of the money had come from.
Ahaquaze was set to be sentenced to six months of house arrest and two months under curfew but there was some confusion as to jurisdiction and the sentencing was postponed.
Don’t miss out on Doppler!
Sign up here to receive our email digest with links to our most recent stories.
Local news in your inbox three times per week!
Click here to support local news
Denise Cooper says
Yes, crimes against seniors, and drugs on overflow kids are dying, but guess what, our LIBERAL laws are a slap on the wrist and told “Don’t do this again. Remember these crimes when you go to VOTE in the next election.
peggy tupper says
Six months under house arrest. How insulting to the seniors in this country. This man should be in jail for 5 years and subsequently deported if he was not born here.
Our justice system is a joke. Meanwhile there are still Freedom Protesters in jail for honking their horns.