DCI Unmask Conmen Behind New Mobile Money Syndicate

Two men arrested by DCI over claims of being fraudsters on Wednesday night, October 28, 2021.
Two men nabbed by DCI over claims of being fraudsters on Wednesday night, October 28, 2021.
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Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) busted a syndicate that has been defrauding undoubting people with mobile money businesses.

In a statement on Thursday, October 28, the DCI revealed that the accused posed as innocent customers before luring the mobile money agents to what initially looked like lucrative business deals.

A group of cons who are currently under DCI custody were nabbed after a Kiambu businessman lost his working capital and savings worth over Ksh1.5 Million after being introduced to a ‘fish food’ supplies business that later turned out to be a hoax.

The businessman operated a shop and also offers mobile money services in Kiambu town. The DCI stated that on July 23, 2020, a man who introduced himself as Momanyi came to his shop, bought a soft drink and snacks which he took as they exchanged pleasantries. 

A file image of the entrance of the DCI headquarters along Kiambu road.
A file image of the entrance of the DCI headquarters along Kiambu road.
Kenyans.co.ke

DCI reported that they believed the con built a good rapport with the businessman over a few days by telling him details about himself such as where he worked and the nature of his job. The sleuths said that the fraudster told him he worked at a fish farm owned by a foreigner. 

"After a few days, Onderi received a call from Momanyi who told him that he had rushed home in Kisii and he needed someone who would assist him in supplying fish food to his contacts," the statement by the DCI read.

"He told him that he would introduce him to the supplier who sells one tin of the product at Sh2,000 then he would deliver the same to the foreigner at Ksh3,000 per tin," it continued.

The Kiambu businessman fell for the con and he was asked to first deliver 100 tins. He met the supposed supplier he was to buy the products from and after went ahead and called the foreigner he was to deliver fish food to. 

But the foreigner told him that he needed 250 tins and he would not take anything less.  But he was not paid on time as agreed and the cons began taking him round as to why his money had been delayed.

"He was taken on a wild goose chase with all manner of excuses being given on why his payments had been delayed including that the foreigner needed to convert his dollars into Kenya shillings, but the exchange rate was not favourable at the moment," the DCI stated.

The businessman was asked to submit his ID and other personal documents which he did and the fraudsters asked him for Ksh45,000. He was introduced to a fake businessman identified as Chandaria and promised that he would solve his payment problems. 

But he ended up losing a further Ksh642,000 in a way he couldn't explain to the sleuths. His attempts to report the man to the police were met with threats from his earlier contacts who told him that Chandaria was an untouchable big man.

"Onderi coughed more cash in the hope of recovering the money he had spent until he had nothing more to give. He was even introduced to a Shylock identified as Marriana Wairimu, believed to be part of the syndicate. She asked him to pay Ksh22,000 for her to advance him a Ksh100,000 loan but after he sent her the money, she never returned his calls," the DCI explained.

He reported the matter to the DCI and the officers launched investigations into the case. Detectives stated that an intensive inquiry into the racket revealed that the accused were using different names and phone numbers to conceal their identities.4

"Last evening, the main accused Kevin Ombogi and his accomplice Allan Kiprono were caught. The accused have this morning been arraigned at Kiambu law courts where they have been charged with obtaining money by false pretences," the DCI stated.

Undated file image of the entrance to the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) headquarters along Kiambu Road.
A file image of the entrance to the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) headquarters along Kiambu Road.
Kenyans.co.ke
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