

Chris Herhalt, CP24.com





A man allegedly conducting an online romance scam convinced three victims into wiring him more than US $1-million before possibly fleeing to the Philippines, Toronto police say.

Between September 2016 and February 2017, police allege the man reached out to potential victims on dating websites including match.com, ourtime.com and chemistry.com.

He allegedly convinced his victims that he was a wealthy person who had fallen on hard times in a foreign country.

Each of the three female victims were convinced to wire money in U.S. funds to a business account named “Tresa Group Limited,” which investigators allege was controlled by the suspect.

Police say the suspect told his victims that the money was being used to get out of a supposed personal emergency.

After he received the money, police allege he laundered it and may have fled to the Philippines.

He is identified as 46-year-old Randolph Aquino, formerly of Markham.

He is wanted for possession of the proceeds of crime and laundering the proceeds of crime.

Aquino is described as clean-shaven male, standing five-feet-inches tall, weighing about 180 pounds. He has short dark hair. He has escribed himself as a financial services worker.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 416-808-7300, or Crime Stoppers at 1-416-222-8477 (TIPS).