On Friday, January 24, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) announced the arrest of a Kenyan suspect in a private jet scam that defrauded a Nigerian national of Ksh12 million (150 million Naira).
The suspect and his accomplices, who are still at large, allegedly pretended to be legitimate businessmen, offering to facilitate the transport of unspecified investment funds from Kenya to Nigeria via private jet.
The unsuspecting Nigerian victim deposited the Ksh12 million, only to learn later that the transaction was fraudulent when the suspects became uncontactable.
The DCI launched a swift operation that resulted in the arrest of the Kenyan suspect, but his accomplices managed to flee.
In a related warning, the DCI expressed concern about the growing use of cryptocurrency by fraudsters to avoid detection.
The agency noted that an increasing number of scams are being carried out via online investment platforms linked to blockchain technology, often disguised with promises of high returns.
These scams are facilitated by anonymous links sent via SMS, which target a large number of people.
The DCI previously issued cryptocurrency fraud alerts in February 2024, prompting the government to consider a regulatory framework for virtual assets.
Treasury Chief Secretary John Mbadi announced in January 2025 that a draft policy is being developed to regulate the sector and protect consumers from financial risks.
