Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) is on the lookout for a scammer who has allegedly left a woman and her father destitute.
A little over a year ago, Jennifer Bourdages, from Oakville, was seeking a partner on a sugar daddy website.
She eventually found Nik, a wealthy Russian billionaire, who made her feel like she finally met her match.
After hours of chatting for a few days, they finally met up in-person. Nik gifted Bourdages a Maserati, instructing her to put it under her name as he’d make all the payments. Soon, her finger was adorned with her dream diamond wedding ring.
Three weeks later, Bourdages and Nik tied the knot in a new home in Oakville that Nik had bought.
But, as time went on, Bourdages felt something was off.
She never laid eyes on the mail or bills as Nik wouldn’t let her. She would come to discover that payments weren’t being made towards the Maserati and the ring – both of which were under her name.
Not long after, the Maserati, along with at least another car, was repossessed. And Nik’s new home that they got married in wasn’t bought but rented, in her name.
The marriage was never made official, and rent had been due for months.
Bourdages had $140,000 saved up before she met Nik; all of that was gone. Furthermore, credit cards, some that she didn’t even know about, were maxed out for $117,000.
Her father, Leonard Scott, was also taken advantage of.
He’s disabled and moved into the couple’s home months after they got married. Nik used Scott’s name to open multiple credit cards, car loans, and other accounts.
Before Nik, Scott was in debt for about $13,000. In the span of eight months, it exploded to about $160,000.
Whenever he confronted Nik about payments, Nik would deposit money in his and Bourdages’ accounts, but it would return as “non-sufficient funds,” days later.
The whole debacle has “financially ruined” Scott.
And ‘Nik’ from Russia is really Steve Coelho from Toronto’s west end. He was arrested in June of 2020 for running the same con on another girl and "forcing her into the sex trade."
Coelho is currently wanted by HRPS for violating probation. The fraud committed on Bourdages and her father have only accelerated HRPS’ search.
HRPS is urging anyone with information regarding his whereabouts to call their non-emergency line at 905-825-4777. You can also submit a tip anonymously to Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or visiting www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
As for Bourdages and her father, they are now penniless.
Banks refuse to lend a hand as the bills are all in their names, so they're leaning on friends and trying to find a place to stay before January 1st. If not, they'll have to move into a shelter.
Bourdages and Scott are in debt for a total of half a million dollars.