One suspect has been apprehended in Utawala's Githunguri area following a complaint by a Georgian national who fell victim to a fake gold scheme.
In a statement by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Thursday, May 2, 2024, the victim, who lost over USD 6 million, was swindled into a 161,000kg gold deal that was nothing but a well-orchestrated fraud.
The law enforcement officers said Frederick Thuranira M'mburi was arrested by the Operations Support detectives after a thorough investigation.
Also Read:
DCI said they raided a house where they found evidence related to the scam.
Inside, they discovered about 23,600 fake US currency notes, each in 100 denominations, stashed in two travelling bags and a steel box.
Additionally, they seized fake gold nuggets stored in eight green canvas bags, each weighing approximately 10kg.
"Following a complaint by a Georgian national who lost over USD 6 million to fake gold racketeers who duped him into a 161,000kg gold deal, one suspect has been arrested at a home within Utawala's Githunguri area and cash in fake USD and fake gold nuggets found therein confiscated.
"Frederick Thuranira M'mburi was arrested last night by the Operations Support detectives, in a house where about 23,600 notes (100 denominations) in fake US currency stuffed in two travelling bags and a steel box were found. Also seized were the fake gold nuggets in eight green canvas bags weighing approximately 10kg each," DCI said.
Gold scam
The victim, a merchant from Georgia, reported engaging in a gold trade with a supposed Ghanaian partner through official documentation.
He purportedly spent Ksh822.2 million (USD 6,090,5000) on various expenses related to the transaction, including transportation and storage services.
"In the multi-million fake gold scam, the merchant of Georgia reported to have traded tonnes of gold bars with a Ghanaian partner through a letter of administration before the High Court of Justice in Ghana, thereafter spending USD 6,090,500 on the movement of the consignment from Ghana to Kenya, documentation and storage services," DCI said.
However, preliminary investigations by the OSU detectives revealed a different story.
It appears that the victim was deceived from the outset by a well-coordinated group of scammers.
These individuals, with known records in court, exploited the victim's trust, leading him to believe in a non-existent gold transaction.
Furthermore, it was uncovered that neither real nor fake gold was ever transported to Kenya from Ghana, contrary to the victim's belief.
Police said the perpetrators of this scam seem to have connections both within and outside Kenya, with individuals in gold-mining countries collaborating with local and foreign accomplices based in Nairobi.
FAKE GOLD NUGGETS AND US CURRENCY SEIZED, ONE SUSPECT ARRESTED
Following a complaint by a Georgian national who lost over USD 6 million to fake gold racketeers who duped him into a 161,000kg gold deal, one suspect has been arrested at a home within Utawala's Githunguri area pic.twitter.com/OV2I8fEdXw— DCI KENYA (@DCI_Kenya) May 2, 2024
