Man facing nearly 100 charges in Toronto fraud scheme using fake cheques
A 22-year-old man has been charged with nearly 100 offences after allegedly defrauding multiple people in Toronto using fake cheques.
According to Toronto police, the incidents took place over the span of about 10 months, between April 2021 and February 2022.
During this time, a man would reach out to victims on Kijiji, Facebook Marketplace and Snapchat and agree to buy various items such as designer shoes and clothing.
Police say the man would meet the victims and pay for the items using fraudulent cheques that were deposited through mobile banking.
“The cheques would be more than the items purchased, causing the victims to transfer the difference back to the man,” police said in a news release issued in February.
The cheques were later put on hold and determined to be fake; however police say that by the time that process was complete, the man would have already fled with both the merchandise and money.
Police say they took a suspect into custody on June 27 in connection with the investigation.
Toronto resident Tyrese Campbell-Fraser was charged with 97 offences, including five counts of fraud over $5,000, 29 counts of fraud under $5,000, 30 counts of causing another person to act on a forged document, four counts of theft under $5,000, two counts of uttering threats and 27 counts of failing to comply with probation.
The charges have not been proven in court.
Police have also released Campbell-Fraser’s image as investigators believe there may be more victims.
He has been described as standing about six feet, weighing about 180 pounds, with braided hair and fades on the sides, and a black beard.
Police say he has tattoos of "Heaven Fraser" on his right forearm, and "514" on his left forearm.
Anyone with information is being urged to contact police or reach out to Crime Stoppers anonymously.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.