Two Arrested, Three Still at Large in Ontario Door-to-Door Sales Fraud Scheme
Police revealed the identities of five suspects involved in the fraud on Wednesday. Two individuals, 39-year-old Rajivan Thillaindarajah from Mississauga and 40-year-old Sajjad Ahmad from Scarborough, have been arrested.
Two individuals have been arrested while three remain at large in connection with a wide-reaching door-to-door sales fraud operation that has allegedly victimized over 200 people across Ontario, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
In a press release on Wednesday, the OPP shared details about their ongoing investigation, which began in the summer of 2021 under the name Project Nettle. This operation revealed a fraudulent scheme that targeted vulnerable individuals, including seniors, by presenting fake home service and renovation agreements at highly inflated prices.
Police revealed the identities of five suspects involved in the fraud on Wednesday. Two individuals, 39-year-old Rajivan Thillaindarajah from Mississauga and 40-year-old Sajjad Ahmad from Scarborough, have been arrested. Thillaindarajah faces several charges, including fraud over $5,000, possession of property obtained by crime, laundering proceeds of crime, and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence. Ahmad has been charged with two counts of fraud over $5,000.
The remaining suspects—23-year-old Anas Ayyoub, 33-year-old Muhammad Waqar Afzal, and 28-year-old Muhammad Wasiq Afzal—are still at large. All three are wanted on charges of fraud and possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.
The fraudsters reportedly approached older adults and other vulnerable residents under the pretense of offering home services or renovations, falsely claiming that the costs would be covered by government grants or rebates. Many victims believed they were getting free services, only to find themselves unknowingly trapped in fraudulent agreements.
Similar stories
Comments are closed.