Bratsk, Russia, 2004. Police officers in Bratsk (relatively close to lake Baikal) had to deal with an unusual case of fraud. A New Zealand citizen Colin Edward Walker was desperate to find love. Being unsuccessful in this regard in his own country he decided to try to find a foreign woman through online dating sites. He engaged in communicating with a Russian woman "Maria Vasilieva" (29) from Bratsk whom he found there.
After 3 months of chatting they decided to meet each other in real life. "Maria Vasilieva" suggested that they meet in another city - Irkutsk - because it was easier for him to get there from New Zealand. Also she asked him to give her some money to buy tickets to Irkutsk too.
Colin Walker bought himself flight tickets, booked a hotel and sent up to 800 USD to his supposed "bride-to-be". Shortly after sending money he received an e-mail apparently from her father in which he informed Colin that "Maria" had got injured in a car accident and couldn`t come to Irkutsk to meet him.
Then Colin decided to go to her hometown - Bratsk. When he got there and found her house (38 Mira street, Bratsk) he grew astounded: instead of a small cottage he saw a 9-storey building. Colin tried to find "Maria", but in vain. Then local residents helped him write a note with his contacts and put it on the building`s wall. Colin returned to the hotel.
Several thugs visited him soon. They told Colin to forget about money and fly back home. Also they said he would never find "Maria Vasilieva". At the front desk of the hotel Colin was told later that the hotel emloyees had heard of miss Vasilieva on several occasions earlier: postcards and letters were received for her from all over the world (Japan, Spain, the UK and the USA) but the emloyees had never seen her. So, finally Colin Walker returned home without money. He didn`t find his supposed bride-to-be either. Now he doesn`t like Russian women. Meanwhile, an investigation was launched to clarify this case. Baikal.tv.
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