A woman suspected of obtaining millions of shillings from Kenyans through a fraudulent scheme known as Amazon Web Worker was apprehended yesterday after flying into the country from the United States.
Hawk-eyed detectives pounced on the 50-year-old suspect, identified as Stacey Marie Parker Blake, at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport minutes after she disembarked from her flight.
The suspect was apprehended after serious crimes detectives conducted an investigation that linked her to the ponzi scam.
Investors were deceived into putting their money in an online software known as Amazon Web Worker in a well-coordinated and managed hoax on the idea that they would make money.
Social media platforms were flooded with advertising enticing Kenyans to the enticing program that claimed to quadruple one’s money in a month.
Investors who deposited Sh100,000 were offered Sh351,000 after 30 days.
All that was required was to enter personal information such as complete names, M-Pesa account numbers, and cell phone numbers into the web software.
Hundreds of unsuspecting Kenyans downloaded the app, enrolled, and made deposits. Some suggested the scam to their husbands, children, and close acquaintances.
It wasn’t until the program was suddenly removed from the internet that the investors realized they’d been tricked.
The app went down with deposits worth hundreds of millions of shillings from gullible investors, who had hoped to hit the jackpot, once their deposits earned profits. Some of the crestfallen investors trooped to DCI headquarters.
Detectives managed to link Stacey to the syndicate, after painstaking investigations revealed that she had pay-bill accounts in her name, that had a balance of Sh50 Million, believed to be deposits made by the unsuspecting victims.
Serious Crimes Detectives are currently pursuing other suspects, believed to be part of the syndicate. Meanwhile, Stacey is in Police custody pending arraignment in court, on charges of Money Laundering, Computer Fraud among other charges.