Kenyan arrested for conning Nigerian businessman Ksh.12M in fake private jet deal

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested a suspect involved in a fraudulent scheme that saw a Nigerian businessman lose 150 million Naira (approximately Ksh.12.5 million).

Stephen Mugambi Colbert and his accomplices are said to have posed as legitimate businesspeople offering private jet services able to transport investment funds from Kenya to Nigeria.

According to the DCI, Mugambi and his group of accomplices approached the unsuspecting victim earlier this month with a fabricated business proposal.

Claiming that they could facilitate the secure transfer of investment funds via a private jet, the fraudsters convinced the businessman to transfer the substantial amount.

Once the payment was made, Mugambi and his collaborators severed all communication, leaving the victim stranded.

“Having burnt his fingers, the foreign national approached the DCI seeking for help where a manhunt for the snake oil merchants was launched leading to the arrest of Mugambi,” the investigative agency said in a statement.

“Whereas his accomplices narrowly escaped the sherlocks’ dragnet, it is just a matter of time before they are smoked out of their hideout and brought to book.”

The DCI also issued a stern warning to the public, urging due diligence when engaging in business deals, especially those involving large sums of money.

They highlighted an emerging trend where fraudsters are increasingly using cryptocurrency to evade detection, bypassing the traditional financial system.