FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Two men who believed they were going on a date with a woman they met on a dating app were instead ambushed and robbed in what officials call a set up.
Broward Sheriff’s Office detectives said in both cases, the men thought they were meeting with a woman they met via an app called MeetMe, but instead they were robbed at gunpoint and kidnapped by two men. Officials believe there are other victims out there.
Detectives said a 17-year-old posed as a 21-year-old on her MeetMe profile.
They said she lured the victims to a home in Deerfield Beach where two men wearing ski masks were waiting with guns. The first incident happened on Aug. 7 and the other on Aug. 8.
“Turned out the female actually was duping the men in several different ways,” said BSO spokesperson Joy Oglesby.
BSO said the robbers kidnapped the men.
Detectives said surveillance video taken on Aug. 7 showed a victim’s car being driven by robbers to an ATM. Officials said the robbers drove to several ATMs that night.
“This would happen for hours,” Oglesby said.
The victims in both cases were kidnapped during this cash transaction and later released.
According to officials, the robbers threatened the victims to remain silent because they were messaging a teenager.
“The suspects actually threatened the victims. They said, ‘Hey, if you go tell police, we’ll tell them that you were actually with an underaged person,” Oglesby said. “Well, the victims didn’t know that. They were duped.”
It didn’t take officials long to track down the 17-year-old and her accomplices identified as Peterson Joachim and Shnyder Dumas. Joachim and Dumas were arrested in late September.
They face charges of armed robbery, kidnapping and carjacking.
Detectives hope other people who may have been victimized like this will come forward. They said they will not pursue charges against anyone who was victimized.
“Our detectives want people to not feel embarrassed, to not be concerned and to come forward if they believe they were a victim of this crime or something similar,” Oglesby said.
If you believe you are a victim or have information that can help in this case, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $3,000 reward.
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