Three foreign men and a Hungarian woman have been caught for orchestrating a series of international romance scams, the Hungarian Police announced on their website. The four suspects are facing criminal trials in Hajdú-Bihar County in Eastern Hungary.
The scammers set up fake profiles on dating apps and websites, and targeted middle-aged to elderly women who appeared to be well-off. They went through pre-written scripts to win their confidence. After a level of trust was built, they asked for large sums of money to help in a supposed emergency situation.
The crime ring got as much as 70 million HUF ($170,000) out of only one of their victims.
A 29-year-old man from Nigeria was the first to be caught out of the four perpetrators, back in January 2024. He was originally apprehended in Budapest, but was taken to Debrecen, Hajdú-Bihar County to go before court. He had instructed his girlfriend, a native Hungarian woman, to open up a bank account in her name where they transferred the money coerced out of their victims. The Hungarian woman has been charged with money laundering.
The press release by the police also notes that another foreign national charged in the case had lived a conspicuously lavish lifestyle before his arrest. He wore luxury clothing, often went on elaborate trips, and was known for spending exuberantly in the Budapest nightlife as well. He was apprehended in October of last year.
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