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A couple will be produced at the Suva Magistrates Court this afternoon charged with allegedly soliciting more than $230,000.

The money was allegedly solicited from a 60-year old woman under the pretext of entering into a partnership to invest in properties in Fiji.

The accused persons are 40-year-old David Morrison Christopher and his 24-year-old wife Swetha Shayal Singh.

Between June 2020 and January 2021, Christopher allegedly contacted the victim through WhatsApp pretending to be a foreign investor expressing his interest in entering a partnership to invest in buying properties for rent in Fiji.

After establishing contact, he allegedly managed to solicit money from the victim which were remitted through more than 70 transactions through a mobile money transfer service and on-line bank transfers.

The online bank transfers were allegedly remitted through Christopher’s wife’s account.

Christopher has been charged with one count of obtaining financial advantage by deception while his wife Swetha Shayal Singh has been charged with one count of Possession of Property Suspected of being Proceeds of Crime.

Police believe Christopher may be involved in other similar cases and they are urging anyone who may have information or have had dealings with him to call 8991107.

The Police Force has also emphasized that this is the first time they have released the accused persons’ name ahead of their court appearance, as investigators want others who may have been victims in similar cases to come forward.