Dramatic moment accused romance scammer, 27, is arrested after ‘claiming she was a high flying medical student while fleecing desperate men out of more than $670,000’
- Siriluck Fatima Chimmalee, 27, is accused of fleecing men out of over $670,000
- She would allegedly meet men via dating platforms and claim to be a student
- She then allegedly used their financial information to get loans and bank cards
- Police said they detected the scam while looking into an alleged fraud syndicate
- The Sydney woman has been hit with 59 charges over the alleged romance scam
An accused love scammer falsely claimed she was a legal, medical and flight student – all while trading designer handbags, NSW police say.
Siriluck Fatima Chimmalee, 27, allegedly obtained more than $670,000 through a sophisticated romance scam after connecting with men via online dating platforms, police said in a statement on Wednesday.
Detectives say they uncovered the scam while looking into an alleged $9.7 million fraud syndicate targeting the Thai-Australian community.
Siriluck Fatima Chimmalee was arrested in February (pictured) in relation to an alleged $9million fraud syndicate. Detectives have since laid an additional 59 charges on the Sydney woman over an alleged romance scam they said was uncovered during the initial investigation
She was first arrested in February on charges related to the alleged fraud and money laundering ring, with police subsequently seizing thousands of dollars worth of high-end fashion clothing items and electronics from her Strathfield South home.
Detectives laid 33 new charges on Wednesday, having laid 26 charges on May 20 related to the alleged romance scam.
Chimmalee allegedly made a series of false claims and defrauded multiple men and is accused of using their personal financial information to apply for loans and credit cards.
Detectives seized Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Chanel (pictured) shoes from Chimmalee’s home in February during an investigation into an alleged fraud syndicate
The latest charges include 23 counts of deal with identification information to commit an indictable offence, seven counts of dishonestly obtain financial advantage or cause disadvantage by deception, two counts of dishonestly obtain property by deception and knowingly deal with proceeds of crime.
Last month’s charges included 25 counts of dishonestly obtain financial advantage or cause disadvantage by deception and deal with identification information to commit an indictable offence.
Chimmalee first appeared in court in February on three charges related to her alleged role in the fraud syndicate, in which police say she made out she was a registered remitter and advertised inflated rates for exchanging money.
Foreign workers in Australia or other nations use remitters to send money to their country of origin.
The arrested followed a one-and-a-half year investigation by Strike Force McKeon into reports of fraud and money laundering.
Detectives raided her inner-west Sydney home and another residence on February 20, and seized mobile phones and dozens of designer goods including Gucci, Chanel and Louis Vuitton shoes and Prada bags.
The collection contained a Prada Saffiano Cuir bag valued at $4,015 AUD brand new, which can be sold for around $2000 second hand.
She was remanded in custody ahead of her next court appearance at Burwood Local Court on June 23.
Strike Force McKeon seized a Prada Saffiano Cuir bag valued at $4,015 AUD brand new, which can be sold for around $2000 second hand
NSW Police seized thousands of dollars worth of high-end fashion shoes and clothing (pictured) from Chimmalee’s home in February