This archive report was first published on 16 September 2021.
On September 16, 2021, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Kenya uncovered a massive gold scam that had left an Indian investor counting losses of close to Sh200 million.
The scam, which involved a fraudster from Guinea Bissau, Cavalho Lopes, had seen Lopes obtain $1,780,000 (Sh195,889,000) from a Malian investor, Sanjay, based in Mumbai, India. Lopes had promised to sell Sanjay 44.45 kilogrammes of gold, which was supposed to be shipped from Guinea Bissau through Kigali before being loaded on a plane to India via Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
However, upon inspection, detectives discovered that the consignment, which had been detained at JKIA due to non-payment of customs duty, was actually a shipment of river bed pebbles neatly arranged in a box. The pebbles were valued at over Sh190 million.
According to investigations, Sanjay had been scammed after he paid a further $26,700 (Sh2,938,335) to clear the consignment and facilitate its shipment. He only realised he had been defrauded after the consignment failed to arrive in India within the agreed timeframe.
Mr. Hezbon Nyabola, who had claimed to be from the Kenya Revenue Authority, has since been arrested pending arraignment for obtaining money by false pretence.
