NAIROBI, Kenya – Detectives in Nairobi have dismantled a notorious gold-scamming syndicate that has been defrauding unsuspecting victims of millions. The operation led to the arrest of 11 individuals and the seizure of 350 kilograms of counterfeit gold.
The arrests were made after a victim reported losing USD 546,000 (approximately KSh 70.9 million) in a fraudulent gold scheme. Acting on credible intelligence, detectives from the Nairobi Regional Criminal Investigations Office tracked the suspects to a hideout in the Spring Valley estate, where they made a swift arrest.
During the search, the detectives recovered 305 kilograms of fake gold, a weighing machine, and an electronic gold tester, also known as a Tester Gun. Authorities also found a dust coat bearing the Ministry of Mining logo, which the scammers reportedly used to gain the trust of their victims.
The suspects, described by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) as part of a “multi-national mix of con artists,” include seven Kenyans—Allan Zephaniah Onyango, Nicodemus Okoth, Phillip Onyango, Elmad Ochola, Shem Omollo, Edward Leonard Ochieng, and James Jeremiah Akumu. Two Congolese nationals, Nfundiko Kamira and Lukabaya Mulamba, and two Cameroonian citizens, Ibrahim Nzamgou and Mike Fouapon, were also arrested.
The suspects are currently being held at Capitol Hill Police Station as investigations continue.
