Police have charged a 19-year-old Toronto man with identity theft, theft and fraud charges after investigators said he befriended multiple women on Instagram.
Police said in a statement the suspect allegedly met the women between September 2016 and January 2017 and gained their trust. Officers said he persuaded them to give him their personal, as well as family member’s official documents such as passports, citizenship and OHIP cards.
The man then used the information to defraud the women by purchasing cellphones and obtaining bank credit cards at various locations in east-end Toronto, police said.
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Nivethanan Sivagurunathan was arrested Friday and charged with identity theft, two counts of theft under $5000, fraud over $5000 and possession of property obtained by crime under $5000.
Sivagurunathan is scheduled to appear in a Scarborough court March 9.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-4200 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477).