Luis Liciano David Cortez Abarca Charged with Fraud in P.E.I.

Sean Mott
CTVNewsAtlantic.ca Digital Coordinator

A man and woman from Chile have been charged with fraud after attempting to scam a senior citizen in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, on Tuesday.

Charlottetown Police Services responded to the case after a complainant reported that a person, later identified as Luis Liciano David Cortez Abarca, contacted his grandmother, posing as a bail bondsman. The fraudster claimed that the grandmother’s grandson had been involved in a car accident with a pregnant woman and was in jail, pressuring her to hand over money to avoid his incarceration.

According to the police release, the scammer instructed the grandmother to withdraw $5,000 from the bank and await someone to collect the money from her home.

The Charlottetown Police launched an investigation and quickly mobilized a team. The suspect, Abarca, was arrested just after 3:30 p.m. on the same day. Further investigation linked the scam to other similar incidents in Summerside, prompting authorities to arrest Abarca’s accomplice the following day. The woman was apprehended at a motel in Borden-Carleton.

Abarca and his accomplice now face multiple fraud-related charges in connection with this incident. Police continue to urge the public to remain vigilant against such scams targeting vulnerable individuals.