“Sofia Rose” told the victim she worked as a wine importer.
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A Quebec City woman has been charged in connection with an online love scam that allegedly cost the Gatineau victim about $150,000.
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Gatineau police said the case began in 2014, when the victim met the suspect, who identified herself as “Sofia Rose Saputo-Marcotte,” on social media.
“Sofia Rose” told the victim she worked as a wine importer.
Police said the suspect maintained almost daily communication with the victim over the web and by phone.
She also created a bogus network of individuals around the pseudonym “Sofia Rose” in order to make her victim believe she was real, police said.
“Sofia Rose” repeatedly hinted at an imminent meeting in real life, but that never took place.
Still, “the victim’s feelings toward ‘Sofia Rose’ deepened and trust in her grew,” police said in a release.
From 2014 to 2018, the suspect managed to convince the victim to transfer various sums of money to her, allegedly to pay off ongoing bills and to help her with her wine business.
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Police claim more than $150,000 was allegedly given to the suspect between 2014 and 2015.
The suspect promised to repay the victim as soon as she could, but only made a few payments.
When the victim was no longer able to send payments, “the suspect…
