A ruse concocted by a Central Saanich woman helped police nab a man who allegedly bilked her out of almost $35,000 and was wanted for fraud in four provinces.
Mohammed Ali Assaf, who had evaded police for years, was finally arrested in Calgary on May 26, thanks to the 29-year-old mother of two. The woman, who did not want her name used, bought movie tickets for Assaf, then tipped off police so they could arrest him right in his seat.
The woman first met Assaf in October on the online dating website Plenty of Fish. She had just separated from her husband and Assaf, who gave his name as Mohammed El-Tassi, was handsome and charming.
Around January, Assaf, who was living in Calgary, sent the woman a message saying he had stage one prostate cancer.
Assaf told her about his chemotherapy treatments and shared pictures of his hair falling out.
The woman flew out to see him in Calgary in February, and, she said Assaf started talking about ways they could make some fast cash.
He suggested they buy cars at auction and then flip them. He also told the woman his brother was a realtor and had a foreclosure property that would be a good investment. She said she ended up giving him $35,000.
“He left me with pennies,” she said, adding she trusted him because Assaf introduced her to his two kids and his brother and sister.
She even received what she thought were text messages from his brother and his accountant with details about the home purchase, but later realized the messages weren’t from them.
The woman figured out Assaf’s last name by entering his brother’s first name and “Calgary realtor” into Google. A realtor with the last name Assaf came up, so she searched for Mohammed Assaf.
She found an article from CTV Winnipeg about a woman in that city who was scammed out of her life savings by a man with that name. The article had a picture that she recognized as Mohammed El-Tassi.
“My heart sank. I was in disbelief.”
When the woman confronted Assaf, she said he told her he had a gambling addiction and would try to recover her money.
“I know it sounds weird, but I still love him,” she said.
Despite her feelings, she went to Central Saanich police in late March. She was initially told that because she voluntarily handed over the money, there wasn’t much they’d be able to do.
However, the woman, who had kept all her text exchanges with Assaf, was persistent and started recording her phone conversations with him.
Central Saanich police Det. Const. Chad Vincent took over the investigation and began sharing information with Sgt. Andrew Hughes of the Calgary police.
On May 26, the woman was talking to Assaf and he complained he had no money to take his kids out.
She said she would buy tickets to see Pirates of the Caribbean for him and his two kids.
She then scrambled to get hold of Vincent to tell him where Assaf would be, right down to the seat number. Vincent contacted Calgary police and an undercover unit arrested Assaf in the theatre.
Hughes became aware of Assaf about a year ago after Assaf allegedly defrauded a woman in a business deal. Police had Assaf’s name and picture, but “we couldn’t pin him down,” Hughes said.
The file lay dormant for about a year until Hughes was contacted by Central Saanich police.
“This person, who is wanted Canada-wide, is now under arrest and remanded into custody,” Hughes said. “Without the help of [this woman], there’s no way we’d be here today. It was very brave of her.”
Assaf is wanted for fraud-related charges in Ottawa, Winnipeg and Halifax. Assaf is facing 17 charges in Calgary, including fraud, using a forged document, possession of items through proceeds of crime, theft of a credit card and theft of a vehicle.
The Central Saanich woman said she wants to share her story so that other people will be more aware and cautious.
