Police arrest suspect who allegedly fled country after depositing counterfeit cheque at Oshawa bank

A Durham Regional Police car is seen on Tuesday Feb. 28, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Doug Ives

A 26-year-old man from China was arrested at Pearson International Airport last week after allegedly depositing a counterfeit cheque at an Oshawa bank back in January and subsequently fleeing the country.

Police say that the suspect attended a bank in the area of Simcoe Street North and Windfields Farm Drive West on Jan. 11 and deposited a cheque for $47,000.

It is alleged that the suspect then withdrew a large amount of cash and made multiple e-transfers with the funds.

However, an investigation later determined that the cheque was counterfeit. Police say that multiple attempts were made to locate the suspect but investigators later learned that he had “fled the country.”

In a news release issued on Tuesday, police said that members of the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) then contacted DRPS investigators last week when the suspect returned to Canada.

“The suspect attempted to enter Canada via Pearson International Airport, from the United States, and was taken into custody without incident,” the release notes.

Yuanping Lin is charged with one count of fraud over $5,000.

Police continue to investigate the incident and are asking anyone with information to come forward.