The Belleville Police Service has made an arrest and laid multiple charges following a fraud investigation.
In May 2025, detectives from the Criminal Investigation Division launched an investigation after receiving a report that $18,000 had been withdrawn from a victim’s Canada Life RRSP account without her consent.
As the investigation unfolded, detectives uncovered that between February and March 2023, the Canada Life RRSP account information had been changed to the victim’s daughter’s details, and four withdrawals totalling $16,830 were subsequently deposited into an account controlled by the daughter.
Further investigation determined that the daughter also obtained approximately $54,000 from the same victim between 2019 and 2022 under the pretense of covering medical and legal expenses. Receipts provided to the victim were later determined to be fraudulent, including forged documents with falsified signatures.
As a result, on September 12, 2025, Jennifer Simao, a 47-year-old Prince Edward County woman, was arrested and charged with the following offences:
· Fraud Over $5,000 – Section 380(1)(a) Criminal Code of Canada X3
· Using a Forged Document – Section 368(1)(a) Criminal Code of Canada X3
Simao was released on an Undertaking with a court date set for November 27, 2025, in Belleville.
Simao is currently awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to previous charges of Fraud over $ 5,000 and Theft over $ 5,000.
The Belleville Police Service continues to remind the public to exercise caution when providing funds or financial access to others and encourages victims of fraud to report incidents promptly.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
