Doug met someone online in 2004 whom he believed to be his ideal partner. As someone living with cerebral palsy who deeply desired marriage and family, he was emotionally vulnerable. The woman, an escort named Darquise, earned his confidence by professing love.
Targeting his vulnerability and recent grief, Darquise convinced Doug she wanted to leave escort work for a serious relationship. She then presented investment opportunities in the Dominican Republic as a way to build their future together. She also claimed pregnancy, using this to extract additional funds, later claiming miscarriage.
In December 2006, Darquise staged her own death to prevent Doug from traveling to the Dominican Republic. His friends helped him recognize the deception — he had lost over $800,000 in what authorities would later call “a sophisticated fraud.”
Doug reported the crime. Investigation revealed Darquise had been married throughout their entire relationship and had fled to Jamaica with her husband. She was eventually arrested upon returning to Canada.
Four years later, she received a four-year prison sentence with restitution ordered at $847,000. However, Doug reports recovering almost nothing. He states: “The offender is free after completing her sentence and only has to re-pay 20% of her earnings per month to me.”
The Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime supported Doug throughout the trial and parole proceedings. He advocates for government assistance in enforcing restitution orders for fraud victims.