Kenyans warned of ‘pyramid scheme’ swindling unsuspecting investors

Police have warned Kenyans of an alleged pyramid scheme operating in the name of NMK Capital Investment Limited.

Headquartered at Corner House in the Nairobi city centre, NMK has over time pooled thousands of gullible investors who are now crying foul, according to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

The company is believed to have been registered in the country in 2021 and has seven directors, among them Ngugi Mucheru Keeru.

The DCI says Keeru is also the sole director and signatory of a sister company called Bidsworth Autorents Capital Limited located at Norwich Union House in the capital.

Through a social media post on Thursday, the investigative agency said it has lately received numerous complaints from victims who ventured into the scheme, “laying claims that nothing is left of their thousands and millions of investments after the directors fell out and [Keeru] holed up.”

“Over 5,000 investors were hoodwinked to enter into a 6-month contract with NMK with a minimum investment of Sh50,000. This would accrue a redeemable monthly interest of 15% or a similar percentage of compounded interest redeemable at the end of the contract period,” said the DCI.

Police say the company has further offered car hire services by leasing vehicles from unsuspecting members of the public, which it then hires out to individuals and agencies.

“Car owners allegedly received 30% of the proceeds from the company. Other ventures included off-plan properties,” the DCI said.

“Eventually, investors are reporting to have lost millions of money from the investment and payments made for off-plan houses, while some of those who leased out their vehicles have no track of them.”

The DCI says it is probing both NMK Capital and Bidsworth Autorents Capital.