Man held for Rs4.45m matrimonial scam

KARACHI:

What began with the promise of marriage and a new life in the United States allegedly ended in financial deception and blackmail for a Karachi woman, who was reportedly swindled out of Rs4.45 million by a man she met through a matrimonial website.

The suspect allegedly won the woman's confidence by promising to marry her and take her to the US before persuading her to transfer millions of rupees. He later allegedly used her private videos to blackmail her.

A judicial magistrate on Friday handed over the suspect, identified as Hussam Kazmi, to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) on six-day physical remand in the case. The accused was produced before the court by NCCIA officials, where the IO informed the court that the suspect assured the woman that they would marry and subsequently move to the US. Using this pretext, he allegedly received a total of Rs4.45 million from her. The suspect later blackmailed the woman using her private videos.

Preliminary investigations have also suggested that the suspect may have targeted other women using a similar modus operandi.