How a small town Canadian grandmother ended up in a Hong Kong prison
Note: the second part of this investigation airs in an all-new episode this Friday, Oct. 6 at 10 p.m. ET on CTV, CTV.ca and the CTV app.
Over my career, I have investigated a number of romance scams. There is, tragically, a never-ending supply of stories of vulnerable, lonely people who have been duped into handing over their heart and their money to someone who doesn’t exist.
In one investigation, I told the story of what’s believed to be Canada's : an Ontario woman who was robbed of almost two million dollars.
In another investigation, in which the victim died by suicide, I infiltrated the Nigerian crime syndicate, .
For another story I tracked down one of the thieves and exposed how once you give up even a small amount of money, you are put on a so-called "." And I have also engaged online with a man who was trying to scam me.
But I have never seen a story like the one airing this weekend on W5.
I first learned of Suzana Thayer's plight when her daughter Angela sent me a panicked email, begging for help.
Her mother had been arrested at Hong Kong's main airport, accused of smuggling drugs into the country.
Angela Thayer travelled to Hong Kong on a quest to free her mother, who stands accused of drug trafficking (W5)
It was such an implausible story. How did a grandmother of six from Barrie, Ont. get caught up in an international scheme that ended with her behind bars, potentially for the rest of her life?
The short answer is: loneliness, naivete and a desire for love. The long answer is more complicated.
Five years after she became a widow, 64-year-old Suzana decided to try to find love online. She was flattered by all of the attention she received. She quickly fell in love with a man who, over the course of a few months, drained her of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
They never met in person.
Supplied photo of 64-year-old grandmother Suzana Thayer, who's sitting in a Hong Kong prison, accused of smuggling cocaine. She and her family insist she was an innocent dupe. (W5)
Her friends and family believe that same man then re-entered her on-line life, using a new name and a new photo. But instead of trying to get money from her, this time he had another plan.
He paid for her to fly to Ethiopia, ostensibly to meet him. But he never showed. So he had some friends drop off presents: new clothing and a new suitcase. He then bought her a ticket to meet him in Hong Kong, where she now sits behind bars.
It turns out those gifts were loaded with cocaine inside the buttons of the clothes.
'It would be a life sentence if I am convicted,' said Suzana Thayer. (Photo source: Information Services Department, Hong Kong)
Our investigation, "The Cocaine Buttons," spans from Canada to Ethiopia and Hong Kong where lawyer Michael Arthur says Suzana’s only hope is to prove that she was caught up in an international crime syndicate.
"There are pretty severe sentences here. She is looking at serious jail time," he told W5.
Her case isn’t expected to even go to trial for another two years. In the meantime, Suzana only gets one 10-minute phone call a month.
I was on the call she had with her daughter Angela in January. Through a crackling connection' she said; "It would be a life sentence if I am convicted. Not being able to see my family again hurts the most. I want you guys to know I am completely done with internet dating."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trump appeals to women in return to North Carolina without Mark Robinson, a top in-state supporter
Donald Trump returned to North Carolina on Saturday, stumping in the southern battleground state with direct appeals to women, claiming he would be a better champion for them than U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, who is vying to become the first female president.
Cards Against Humanity sues Elon Musk's SpaceX over alleged trespassing in Texas
The maker of the popular party game Cards Against Humanity is accusing Elon Musk's SpaceX of trespassing on and damaging a plot of vacant land the company owns in Texas.
Housing support for adult children with severe autism is 'absolutely absurd,' say parents
Looking after an adult with severe autism can be a full-time job. Ask any parent who has a child severely affected by autism spectrum disorder – it’s a job that can get more difficult as the child becomes an adult.
Myths busted and lessons learned: John Vennavally-Rao on his surgery to reverse his ostomy
Twenty-seven year Â鶹ӰÊÓ reporter and anchor John Vennavally-Rao shares his story of what it was like to have an ostomy bag as part of his health-care battle. 'I’m grateful for what it did to extend my life,' he writes in a personal column for CTVNews.ca.
A man is facing numerous drug trafficking charges after Dufferin OPP seized a large assortment of drugs and weapons in Orangeville earlier this week.
A body has been found in the vicinity where a woman went missing on the Ottawa River near Pembroke, Ont. while kayaking Tuesday night, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
Heavy metal exposure could increase cardiovascular disease risk, study finds
A new study is adding to emerging research showing that exposure to metals such as cadmium, uranium and copper may also be associated with the leading cause of death worldwide, cardiovascular disease.
Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Montérégie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.
Kids are inhaling 'Galaxy Gas' to get high. Here’s what parents should know
For some young people, a popular method for getting a quick high is by misusing laughing gas — and lately, that’s in the form of nitrous oxide from products sold by the company Galaxy Gas.
Local Spotlight
Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.
Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.
An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.
They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.
A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.
Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.
The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.
It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.