On Wednesday, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) unearthed a major fraud syndicate in which Safaricom lost Sh5...
On Wednesday, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) unearthed a major fraud syndicate in which Safaricom lost Sh500 million to scammers who targeted the Fuliza mobile loan facility.
The eight suspects were arrested after a lengthy investigation that took more than a year. Detectives revealed that the lived large.
Also read: Fuliza craze sees Kenyans borrow Sh140 billion in 9 months
DCI said that Isaack Kipkemoi, Gideon Rono, Maxwell Ributhu, Gideon Kirui, Moses Rono, Collins Kipyegon, and Edwin Cheruiyot, all aged between 24 and 30 years, were arrested at an apartment in Kiamunyi, Nakuru County while the alleged mastermind, Peter Gitahi, was apprehended by sleuths in Kitale, Trans-Nzoia County.
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The suspects were able to acquire two brand new Subarus, one Toyota Mark X, a Toyota Probox and two motorbikes which have since been impounded. PHOTO| COURTESY[/caption]
At the time of their arrest, the suspects were found with at least four vehicles and two motorcycles that they used.
“Owing to the scheme, the DCI added, the suspects were able to acquire two brand new Subarus, one Toyota Mark X, a Toyota Probox and two motorbikes which have since been impounded,” DCI said.
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The suspects were able to acquire two brand new Subarus, one Toyota Mark X, a Toyota Probox and two motorbikes which have since been impounded. PHOTO| COURTESY[/caption]
Also read: Safaricom reduce interest on Fuliza loans
One of the cars is a 2020 Toyota Mark X that retails at Sh3.6 million in the current market, while a Subaru Forester XT retails at Sh3.2 million.
Police also recovered 14 mobicom phones used in registering MPESA user SIM cards, 6 laptops over 40 mobile phones, 7 routers, assorted Safaricom lines, over 1000 Safaricom subscribers registration forms, over 200 ATM cards from all major banks, car agreements, among other exhibits.
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The suspects were able to acquire two brand new Subarus, one Toyota Mark X, a Toyota Probox and two motorbikes which have since been impounded. PHOTO| COURTESY[/caption]
The eight suspects are accused of fraudulently using generated identity card numbers to register SIM cards and borrow money from the overdraft facility before reneging on their obligations to pay back the debts and were found in possession of thousands of Safaricom and Airtel SIM Cards.
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Fuliza fraud suspects were arrested at an apartment in Kiamunyi, Nakuru County. PHOTO| COURTESY[/caption]
Fuliza is a mobile overdraft service by Safaricom where customers can complete their M-Pesa transactions even when they do not have enough funds in their M-Pesa account.
The telecommunications company is yet to comment on the matter by the time this article was published.
Also read: 'Broke' Sonko take two fuliza loans in less than three weeks
