In a significant crackdown on a fake gold scam, detectives from the Nairobi Regional Headquarters have arrested three individuals accused of defrauding two Kenyans of over USD 400,000. The suspects—Martha Mwikali Katumo, James Mwenda, and Calvin Onyango Magak—were apprehended at White Pearl Apartments in Westlands, where authorities recovered 10.2 kilograms of counterfeit gold pellets along with a weighing machine.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the victims were introduced to the con artists by a Namibian national during a seemingly innocuous meeting over coffee. This encounter led them into a fraudulent business deal that has resulted in substantial financial losses.
The scheme also implicates another individual, reportedly a mining and geology expert, who is alleged to have certified an initial shipment of 5 kilograms of gold as genuine. Prepared for export, Martha and one of the victims traveled to Dubai, using the services of Euromax Global Shipping and Logistics, owned by Maxwel.
Upon their arrival in Dubai, and after covering various expenses, one of the victims soon realized they had fallen victim to a scam, with all their payments effectively wasted.
As investigations proceed, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) urges the public to exercise caution when engaging in gold-related businesses, warning that counterfeit gold merchants are attempting to regain a foothold in Nairobi.