NAIROBI, Kenya – Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have dismantled a suspected SIM-swap cybercrime syndicate in Meru, arresting three individuals accused of orchestrating sophisticated digital fraud targeting unsuspecting Kenyans.
The suspects identified as Zachaous Cheriot, Ambrore Kibet, and Silas Rono were apprehended following a joint operation by officers from DCI headquarters and Meru-based teams.
Investigators say forensic leads guided them to the group’s hideout, where the arrests were made.
According to the DCI, the trio is believed to have been involved in hacking emails, swapping SIM cards, and gaining unauthorized access to victims’ bank accounts in a scheme that left many financially exposed.
“A team of detectives drawn from DCI Headquarters, in collaboration with their Meru-based counterparts, has dismantled a notorious three-man cyber fraud syndicate that has been hacking into emails, swapping SIM cards and bleeding Kenyans’ bank accounts dry,” the agency said in a statement.
A search at the residence led to the recovery of several items suspected to have been used in the illegal operations, including eight mobile phones, 39 SIM cards, 42 SIM card plates, and a laptop.
The suspects remain in custody and are undergoing processing ahead of their arraignment.
The DCI reiterated its commitment to combating cybercrime, warning that it remains “relentless in the pursuit of digital mercenaries who use technology to prey on hardworking Kenyans.”
