A 28-year-old man from Quebec, Karim Haddouche, has pleaded guilty to defrauding seniors in Saanich and Nanaimo out of over $43,000. The Saanich Police Major Crime Unit launched an investigation after two similar fraud cases were reported on February 28, 2024.
The scam involved callers impersonating family members needing bail money. A woman posing as a bail bondsperson then visited the seniors’ homes to collect cash. Acting on victims’ information, police arrested Haddouche and a female accomplice at Vancouver International Airport on February 29, just as they were preparing to fly back to Quebec.
Further investigation linked the pair to additional frauds in Nanaimo involving four seniors. Haddouche pleaded guilty on September 16 in B.C. Supreme Court in Victoria to four counts of fraud over $5,000. He received a 15-month conditional sentence followed by a year of probation and must repay his victims in full. The repayment process is currently underway. Haddouche’s accomplice, Kelyanne Gagne, is set to appear in court on September 29.
Detective Constable Misha Smirnov of Saanich Police warned that scams targeting seniors are alarmingly frequent, with millions lost annually and only a small fraction recovered. He urged people to “take a breath and think before you act” when receiving unsolicited calls requesting money and to verify suspicious calls by checking with someone trustworthy.
In related news, the Nanaimo RCMP has issued warnings about frequent fraud incidents, including online scams targeting wedding officiants, investment scams, and impersonation of law enforcement or companies like Amazon. Police emphasize that legitimate law enforcement officers will never call asking for money and caution against sending money or sharing personal banking information unless the source is verified.
Victims are encouraged to remain vigilant and cautious, particularly when asked to send money via gift cards, Western Union, bitcoin ATMs, or email transfers.
