The Second Appeal Division of the Santa Catarina Court confirmed the verdict of the District of Itaiópolis in Planalto Norte Santa Catarina, which sentenced a man to pay compensation to a woman with whom he had a romantic relationship.

During the affair, the victim lent her partner R$16,000, including credit card expenses and cash, but never received the money back.

The woman met the accused through social networks, where the citizen introduced himself as a federal traffic police officer. They maintained a romantic relationship from October 2018 to May 2019, during which the man claimed to be facing financial difficulties and asked his girlfriend for money.

Suspecting this behavior, the woman tried to get information and discovered that the man was not a police officer. She also discovered that he maintained other dates and stable relationships in the towns of Santa Catarina, including having police reports from victims who had already been financially harmed by the defendant in other cases.

A woman met a fake police officer through social networks – Photo: Shutterstock/ND

The fake policeman gave several reasons to ask for money

Speaking in court, the woman recalled that every time she asked for a loan, the fake police officer told a different story. The money will go to “filling up the fuel,” “buying medicine for the mother,” “paying for the operation of the father,” “paying overdue bills,” or “helping the daughter because her pension was delayed.”

In addition to borrowing money, the fake cop also used the author’s credit cards without her permission. At the first instance, the debt of the defendant to the plaintiff in the amount of 12.9 thousand reais was recognized as material damage, in addition to moral damage recognized by the arbitration court in the amount of 5 thousand reais.

The defendant appealed the verdict. The false policeman argued that the debt attributed to him had not been proven, as well as the absence of moral harm.

However, it was proven to the appeal judge that the man had gained the victim’s trust and affection for the express purpose of extorting her, based on his false identification as a member of the Federal Highway Police. She also emphasizes that the man has already been convicted or is a defendant in other similar cases.