Toronto Police Charge Man in Elaborate Jewelry Fraud Case
Toronto Police have arrested and charged a 20-year-old man, Abdel Madjid Benmaou, following an investigation into a sophisticated fraud scheme. Authorities allege that Benmaou fraudulently used stolen credit cards to purchase $25,000 worth of jewelry from a Mississauga store.
Details of the Alleged Fraud
According to police reports, the first incident occurred on October 1, 2025. A victim received a call from a suspect posing as a bank employee, who claimed their credit card had been compromised. The suspect arranged for a courier to collect the card from the victim's residence in the Cosburn Avenue and Pape Avenue area. It is alleged that the suspect then used this credit card to buy $11,000 in jewelry.
Two days later, a second victim reported a similar scam. The suspect, again pretending to be a bank representative, called and stated their credit card was compromised. A courier was sent to the victim's home in The East Mall and Evans Avenue area to retrieve the card. Police allege the suspect subsequently used this card to make $14,000 in jewelry purchases.
Charges and Ongoing Investigation
Benmaou faces multiple charges, including three counts each of possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000, possession or use of a credit card obtained by offence, and unauthorized use of credit card data. He is also charged with two counts each of false pretenses, fraud over $5,000, and possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, as well as one count of fraud under $5,000.
Investigators believe there may be additional victims and have released an image of the accused to the public. Anyone with information is urged to contact Toronto Police at 416-808-5500 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477).
Newmarket Man Sentenced for Hate-Motivated Crimes
In a separate case, a Newmarket man, Donald Cameron, was sentenced on Thursday to one-year house arrest after pleading guilty to hate-motivated charges. York Regional Police arrested Cameron on September 4, 2025, for allegedly making verbal threats against Muslims, including threats to blow up a mosque in Newmarket and kill his Muslim neighbor.
Sentencing Details
Cameron pleaded guilty to two counts of uttering threats on March 18 and was sentenced in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Newmarket. The justice invoked Section 718 of the Criminal Code of Canada, which recognizes hate motivation as an aggravating factor in sentencing.
Under the conditional sentence order, Cameron will be on house arrest for two-thirds of the sentence, with electronic monitoring for the entire duration. The order also prohibits him from living in Newmarket or being within 100 meters of any mosque in Canada. Following the house arrest, Cameron will serve three years of probation.
Police Response
York Regional Police Chief Jim MacSween emphasized the department's commitment to combating hate crimes. "Hate has no place in York Region, and any act of Islamophobia is both disturbing and unacceptable," he stated. "We remain steadfast in our commitment to combating all forms of hate, bigotry, and intolerance and will continue to prioritize public safety by thoroughly investigating any instance of hate in our region."
Chief MacSween extended gratitude to the Hate Crime Prevention Unit for their diligent work leading to the sentencing.
