Female Charged after Fraudulent Fund- Raising Canvass

On Wednesday Sept 20, 2023 Owen Sound Police were contacted by numerous downtown businesses regarding a female who was going store to store attempting to procure cash donations.  The female claimed to be acting as an employee of the City of Owen Sound and was requesting cash donations to benefit the family of Sharifur Rahman, who was the victim of a homicide that occurred outside of his restaurant in Owen Sound in August of this year.

Thanks in large part to the cooperation of several business owners, police were able to secure evidence and identify the female responsible for this fraud.  The female was quickly located by police in the downtown area and was arrested.  In addition to having received cash fraudulently, she was also found in possession of a significant quantity of stolen property from a city grocery store.  Arrest warrants for the offender were also held by the Owen Sound Police Service, the Grey-County O.P.P. and the Huron County O.P.P.

The 42 -year-old offender currently of no fixed address, was charged with Fraud, False Pretenses, Theft and Possession of Property Obtained by Crime. She is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice to answer to these, and other charges in October.

Police are requesting any business owner, employee and/or citizen who was approached to donate funds to benefit Sharifur Rahman, on September 20, 2023 in the downtown area, regardless of whether any money was provided, to kindly contact the investigating officer Constable Josh Gurney at 519-376-1234 X 174 or by e-mail at jgurney@owensoundpolice.com.