Family seeks release of Ontario grandmother held in Hong Kong on drug charges | 24CA News
The obvious on-line rip-off that landed Suzana Thayer in a Hong Kong jail for allegedly trafficking cocaine on a flight from Ethiopia was not the primary time the Ontario grandmother had been duped by a faux web romance.
Thayer was writing a e book about her first expertise of being defrauded on-line — by somebody purporting to be a health care provider working for the United Nations in Syria — when her household says she was lured in once more.
In the primary ordeal the Barrie, Ont., resident misplaced greater than$200,000. In the second she misplaced her liberty, at the very least for now, as she languishes in a Hong Kong jail pending decision of her case.
Thayer’s daughter instructed The Canadian Press that her 64-year-old mom is “1000 per cent innocent” of drug trafficking, and would by no means have knowingly travelled with tens of 1000’s of {dollars} price of cocaine packed into buttons of clothes she was requested to move.
Angela Thayer described her mom as a girl who turned susceptible as she sought companionship on-line a number of years after the 2016 loss of life of her husband, the one man she had ever been with and to whom she had been married for many years.
“I believe she had no knowledge of the drugs and that she was a victim of ? a romance scam,” Thayer stated in an interview.
When requested concerning the matter, Global Affairs Canada stated “consular officials are actively engaged on this case and are providing consular assistance to the individual and their family.”
Suzana Thayer is receiving casual help from a Hong Kong-based Catholic clergyman named John Witherspoon, who says he’s helped greater than a dozen foreigners who claimed to have been tricked into smuggling medication.
Witherspoon stated in an interview that he has visited Thayer in jail a number of occasions.
He voiced hope Thayer might stroll free, saying the Hong Kong authorities “are not after blood at any cost,” and have a observe report of releasing individuals when proof factors in the direction of innocence.
“I am optimistic but I can’t guarantee a time frame,” he stated. “You just have to be patient.”
Angela Thayer stated her mom was first focused by somebody who recognized themselves on Facebook as Walter Williams.
She isn’t sure when the connection started, however is aware of that by the summer season of 2021 her mom believed she was married to the particular person, who introduced her with a wedding certificates subsequently deemed faux by Ontario Provincial Police.
Suzana Thayer had additionally transferred greater than $200,000 to the particular person, her daughter stated.
When Angela Thayer discovered that her mom had been defrauded, she insisted they file a grievance with the OPP.
“She kind of broke down,” the youthful Thayer stated. “ She says that she was in love with him.”
Suzana Thayer then wrote “I’ve Been Conned: A Book for Dummies,” that got here out in June 2022 and was her try to boost consciousness concerning the scourge of pretend web romances, which have defrauded numerous individuals throughout the globe.
While writing her e book, Thayer was approached on Facebook by somebody who recognized himself as James Caywood and claimed he was a member of the U.S. navy.
Angela Thayer recalled how her mom despatched chapters of her e book to Caywood, who would offer suggestions.
Their exchanges turned romantic however suspicions weren’t raised as a result of Caywood by no means requested for cash, Thayer stated.
Caywood then acquired Suzana Thayer a one-month entry visa for Ethiopia and despatched her a ticket to fly to Addis Ababa, her daughter stated.
Angela Thayer requested her mom to not go, however Suzana Thayer insisted she wouldn’t move up a possibility to journey, having by no means beforehand left Canada.
According to Angela Thayer, her mom spent round two weeks in an Addis Ababa lodge, however Caywood by no means confirmed up. He then despatched her a ticket to Hong Kong and requested her to satisfy him there.
Next, she stated a person who recognized himself as Eric introduced a blue suitcaseto the lodge, which he described as a present from Caywood.
Angela Thayer stated she obtained a name from her mom at 10 a.m. EST on Sept. 6, telling her that the police at Hong Kong’s airport had arrested her after discovering that the buttons of the garments she was carrying in her suitcase had been full of cocaine.
Angela Thayer stated she is now working tirelessly to safe her mom’s launch, efforts that embrace a GoFundMe marketing campaign to rent a lawyer in Hong Kong.
Her mom had lived a “sheltered” life, she stated, and suffered from despair following the loss of life of husband _ a former police officer.
“She was just going online because she was lonely,” she stated. “She was wanting to find that love that she had, that she lost, she just wanted to be with somebody again, to be happy.”
© 2023 The Canadian Press
