Winnipeg police arrest two women from Ontario in connection to grandparent scam
Winnipeg police have arrested and charged two women from Ontario in connection to grandparent scams in the city.
On July 28, police issued a warning to the public noting there had been a spike in grandparent scams – a scheme that tries to get money from elderly people by tricking them into thinking their grandchild is in legal trouble.
Police reported there had been 15 reports of the scam over six days, resulting in losses of about $100,000.
On Friday, police said investigators had identified two women who were believed to be involved, and on July 29, police arrested the women in the 1100 block of Sommerville Avenue.
Police also executed a search warrant at a home in the area and found evidence linking the women to the scam.
Police said the women defrauded nine seniors over 10 days for nearly $100,000.
Vanessa Fatima Alves Dasilva, 18, from North York, Ont. has been charged with six counts of fraud over $5,000, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime over $5,000, forgery and using a forged document.
Gabriella Edith Marie Paradis, 25, from Walpole Island, Ont. has been charged with two counts of fraud over $5,000, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, and possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime over $5,000.
Police said the women and the victims were not known to each other. Police continue to investigate.
None of the charges have been tested in court.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Powerful tornado tears across Nebraska, weather service warns of 'catastrophic' damage
Devastating tornadoes tore across parts of eastern Nebraska and northeast Texas Friday as a multi-day severe thunderstorm event ramped up in the central United States, injuring at least three people.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.