NAIROBI, Kenya — A Kenyan suspect has been arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts over an alleged USD 600,000 (about Sh78 million) fake gold fraud scheme targeting an Australian national, in what investigators describe as a transnational investment scam.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said Duncan Okaka Okonji was arrested on March 24, 2026, and presented in court a day later, where he was charged with conspiracy to defraud contrary to Section 317 of the Penal Code.
Okonji denied the charge and was released on a bond of Sh5 million or an alternative cash bail of Sh1 million with two contact persons. The case will be mentioned on April 7, 2026, at the Milimani Law Courts.
According to investigators, the alleged fraud dates back to October 2025, when the complainant, an Australian national, was in Dubai and was introduced to a man identified as Marshall Morrison, who allegedly posed as an American investor.
Morrison reportedly linked the victim to Okonji, who presented himself as a facilitator of a gold consignment transaction.
Detectives said the complainant was later taken to Tanzania, where he was shown what were presented as mining sites, before being brought to Kenya for further engagements.
Authorities allege that the suspects staged a series of meetings and produced documentation to convince the investor that arrangements were underway to ship a 590-kilogram gold consignment to Dubai.
Believing the transaction to be legitimate, the complainant reportedly transferred USD 600,000 through Conrad Law Advocates LLC. Investigators said the victim later became suspicious and reported the matter to the DCI, triggering investigations into the alleged scheme.
Police believe the case may be linked to wider transnational fraud networks that target foreign investors using fake mineral export deals.
Such scams often involve staged site visits, forged export documentation, and coordinated roles played by multiple suspects across different jurisdictions.
The DCI said investigations are ongoing to identify additional suspects and trace the movement of funds. Authorities also indicated that efforts are underway to recover proceeds believed to have been obtained through the alleged fraud.
The agency reiterated its commitment to dismantling organised criminal networks involved in investment scams, particularly those targeting foreign nationals and damaging Kenya’s reputation in international trade.
Officials said the case forms part of broader enforcement efforts aimed at curbing fake gold schemes that have increasingly drawn scrutiny from law enforcement and regulatory agencies in recent years.
