This archive report was first published on 28 August 2021.
Money laundering is a complex and often misunderstood crime that affects many countries, including Kenya.
On August 28, 2021, Nairobi-based logger Edgar Obare shed light on how some top politicians and businessmen use celebrities to advance their illegal interests.
According to Obare, unscrupulous businessmen engage in 'wash wash' by demanding kickbacks from contractors who win government tenders.
These kickbacks can be substantial, with millions of shillings changing hands.
To deposit this cash in banks, the businessmen turn to celebrities, offering them capital to start businesses in exchange for their help in laundering the money.
For example, a businessman might offer a celebrity Ksh100,000 to start a high-end beauty salon, and then collude with them to cook the books and make the amount appear higher.
This can involve depositing Ksh1 million in the celebrity's bank account, with the laundered amount being the difference between the actual and reported income.
Alternatively, money-launderers might sponsor a celebrity's gig for a large sum of money, which is then deposited in banks.
Other forms of money laundering involve con investors, who use celebrities to advance their own interests.
