A foreign national was arrested earlier this month for allegedly scamming two businessmen—a Romanian and a Swiss national—out of Ksh15,504,000 (USD 120,000).
Authorities say the suspect posed as a genuine gold dealer and lured his victims into a fraudulent investment scheme before vanishing with their money.
Following his arrest, detectives from the Kenya Airport Police Unit (KAPU) obtained a 12-day detention order on February 4, 2025, to allow them more time to conduct investigations.
During this period, law enforcement officers gathered crucial evidence connecting him to the elaborate gold scam.
In a statement, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) confirmed that the suspect was at the center of the fraudulent operation that left the two foreign businessmen counting losses.
“The suspect is implicated in a gold scam that saw a Romanian and a Swiss national defrauded of Ksh15,504,000 (USD 120,000). He pretended to be a legitimate gold trader, promising lucrative deals before disappearing with their money,” the DCI statement read.
When he was arraigned in court, the prosecution strongly opposed his release on bail, citing concerns that he might flee the country. Authorities also highlighted the complexity of the case, as it involved multiple criminal offenses beyond fraud.
According to investigators, the suspect faced several serious charges, including possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery, and fraud. “Upon arraignment, the DCI’s Financial Crime Investigations Office (FCIO) filed multiple charges against him, including Obtaining Money by False Pretenses, Possession of a Firearm Without a Certificate, Possession of Ammunition Without a Firearm Certificate, Creating a False Document, and Forgery of an Official Document,” the statement further noted.
Despite the overwhelming evidence presented, the suspect pleaded not guilty to all the charges before the Senior Principal Magistrate at the JKIA Law Court. The court scheduled the next mention of the case for March 3, 2025, as investigations continue and legal proceedings progress.
This case follows a similar crackdown just three weeks earlier, when detectives arrested five suspects linked to another gold scam targeting foreign investors.
Investigators discovered that the fraudsters had tricked their victims by claiming the gold was stored in a warehouse at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and was awaiting clearance.
The scammers further convinced the victims that the shipment would be released on January 20, 2025, after payment was made.
Authorities have intensified their efforts to dismantle such fraudulent networks and warned investors to exercise caution when engaging in high-value transactions involving gold trade.
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