Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives have arrested the ninth and prime suspect in a disputed ‘USD 439 trillion’ mega fraud targeting two foreign businessmen from the Netherlands.
In an update, sleuths nabbed suspected laptop thug Isaiah Aluodo Belek whom they say is believed to have authored communications with the complainants.
Isaiah Belek was arrested in Gigiri and remains in police custody ahead of his arraignment on Monday, November 20, 2023, at Milimani Law Courts.
“Mastermind in the multi-trillion dollar fraud implicating eight other accused persons has been flushed out of his Gigiri hideout in Nairobi by the Operations Support detectives. Isaiah Aluodo Belek who is believed to have authored communications with the complainants joins his 8 accomplices who were arraignment at Milimani Law Courts yesterday,” part of DCI’s statement reads.
DCI also noted Isaiah Belek’s Mercedes Benz has been detained as “…it is believed to be a proceed of fraud.”
PHOTO/DCI/X
According to DCI, Isaiah Belek’s accomplices face charges of conspiracy to defraud, being in possession of forged banknotes and possessing police uniforms.
They pleaded not guilty and sought to be released on bond however the prosecution objected to his plea. The matter will be determined on Tuesday, November 21.
The nine while posing as customs officers tricked the businessmen into believing they had a consignment of 40 pallets containing USD 4 billion stuck at the Kenya Customs Warehouse.
They demanded a USD 36,000 duty fee to release the pallets, which were set to be flown to Dubai.
Upon the arrival of the businessmen at the warehouse to pay the fee, DCI officers, acting on a tip-off, stormed the premises arresting the eight suspects.
Notably, DCI’s figures- ‘USD 439 trillion’- have been disputed with netizens questioning the accuracy of the report.
220 times total USD in circulation (~ 2 trillion) 🤔 https://t.co/xyxokWqM63
— David Ndii (@DavidNdii) November 15, 2023