Two individuals in Sudbury have been arrested and charged after allegedly scamming an elderly woman in Coniston. Greater Sudbury Police responded to a report of the fraud on Thursday, which involved a caller pretending to be the woman’s grandson.
The scam began when the caller told the woman that he was her grandson and had been in a car accident. The fake grandson claimed he needed a large sum of money to make bail. Trusting the caller, the woman agreed to a set amount, and an individual arrived at her home to collect the cash. This took place on the previous Monday.
Days later, on Thursday, the woman received another call, this time from someone claiming to be her grandson’s lawyer. The caller said that additional funds were required for legal fees, and again, the woman agreed to send more money. The same person who had previously collected the cash returned to pick up the second payment.
Through their investigation, police quickly identified Sagar Sharma, 26, as the individual who had collected the money. He was arrested on Friday and charged with two counts of fraud over $5,000 and personation with intent.
Officers also identified Benjamin Alexander, 42, as the person responsible for trafficking the stolen money. On Sunday, Alexander was arrested and charged with personation with intent, fraud over $5,000, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, and trafficking in property obtained by crime.
Sharma appeared in court over the weekend, while Alexander was held in custody and scheduled for a bail hearing on March 17.
The police suspect that there may be more victims linked to the fraudulent actions of Sharma and Alexander. Authorities encourage anyone who may have been affected to come forward.
