Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested a woman suspected of orchestrating a gold scam that defrauded an American investor of USDT 431,380 in a carefully coordinated investment fraud scheme.
The suspect was arrested at Crystal Villas in Kilimani following what investigators described as a forensic-led operation that tracked the movement of funds and communication patterns linked to the alleged fraud network.
According to the DCI, the scam was executed through what appeared to be a legitimate gold supply arrangement involving 400 kilograms of gold bars.
“The con game began with sweet promises and polished deals, as the smooth-talking suspects convinced the foreign investor they could supply 400 kilograms of genuine gold bars,” the DCI said.
The American investor reportedly travelled to Nairobi after being convinced of the deal’s authenticity, with negotiations and documentation presented to support the transaction.
“Hooked by the seemingly lucrative deal, the American national flew into Nairobi to seal the agreement, unaware he was stepping straight into a carefully staged trap,” the agency added.
After the agreement was signed, the investor transferred funds into accounts linked to the suspects, expecting delivery of the gold.
However, shortly after the money was received, the suspects allegedly disappeared and switched off communication channels.
“But no sooner had the cash hit the accounts than the so-called ‘gold dealers’ vanished into thin air. Calls went unanswered, and not a single gram of gold was delivered,” the DCI said.
Realising he had been defrauded, the victim reported the matter, prompting detectives to launch investigations that led to the arrest of Mildred Kache, also known as Sabreena Ayesha.
Her alleged accomplice, Ibrahim Yusuf Mohamed, escaped arrest after reportedly noticing surveillance and fled, abandoning a black Mercedes-Benz E50 registration number KCV 910C, which has since been seized as an exhibit.
While Kache remains in custody pending arraignment, detectives said efforts are ongoing to track down the second suspect and dismantle the wider network believed to be behind the fraud.