The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has arrested a key suspect linked to a massive fake gold scam amounting to Ksh13.1 million.
The suspect, identified as Puati Poba Dally, a Congolese national, was captured attempting to re-enter Kenya through the Busia border after evading authorities for several months.
The fake gold scheme, which happened in 2023, targeted a Ghanaian merchant who was lured into a lucrative gold deal under false pretenses.
Puati, operating under the name “Osuman from Nigeria,” orchestrated the scam by promising the victim access to gold dealers in Uganda for subsequent sales in Dubai.
Upon arriving in Uganda, the victim was introduced to Puati’s associates, identified only as Ben and Hassan, who further ensnared him in a web of deceit.
Over several weeks, the victim was coerced into parting with a sum of $71,300 USD (approximately 10.7 million Kenyan Shillings) for purported documentation, non-criminality certification, melting, and taxation fees related to the acquisition of 10 kilograms of gold.
However, the victim’s hopes of a lucrative deal were dashed when he discovered that the gold was non-existent and that he had fallen victim to a sophisticated scam.
Subsequent attempts to rectify the situation only led to further financial exploitation, with Puati’s accomplices, Daniel and Lucy, extorting an additional $30,000 USD (over 4.3 million Kenyan Shillings) from the victim for non-existent tax and clearance fees.
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The scam reached its climax when the victim, en route to Dubai, was informed that his cargo had been mistakenly flown to Kenya.
How DCI got wind of the gold scam
Desperate and deceived, the victim’s distress during take-off prompted intervention, leading to the unraveling of the elaborate scam.
With Puati’s arrest, authorities are intensifying efforts to dismantle the criminal syndicate responsible for perpetrating this audacious scam.
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According to DCI, interrogations are underway to gather crucial intelligence and apprehend other members involved in the illicit operation.
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