A 37-year-old Maple Ridge man has been charged for allegedly engineering romantic relationships in order to steal substantial amounts of money.
Reza Moeinian is accused of dating his victims for months in order to develop a deep romantic bond, then convincing victims to sign up for credit cards and lines of credit, which are promptly drained, said Coquitlam RCMP Cpl. Michael McLaughlin.
Moeinian is accused of using a dating referral service or online dating to meet his victims. Typically, he uses a pseudonym and poses as a foreign businessman.
Police said Moeinian has been charged with two counts of fraud over $5,000, one count of theft over $5,000, and one count of causing someone to use a forged document.
He is currently in custody and will next appear in court on March 12, police said.
Moeinian is described as a Middle Eastern man with a medium complexion who can pass as Italian or European. He 5’8, 135 pounds with a slender build, short brown hair and brown eyes.
• Anybody who may have been a victim of romance fraud is encouraged to call their local police. If you were victimized in Anmore, Belcarra, Coquitlam or Port Coquitlam, call the RCMP non-emergency line at 604-945-1550 and ask for Cst. Alex Bojic (file 2017-17634).
