NAIROBI, Kenya — Detectives have arrested two suspected fraudsters accused of orchestrating a multimillion-dollar gold scam targeting an American investor in Nairobi.
The suspects — identified as Michael Otieno Onyango and Andrew Clifford Otieno — were nabbed after a dramatic chase that brought an end to what investigators described as a “sophisticated get-rich-quick scheme” worth USD 5.6 million (about KSh 730 million).
According to police, the duo attempted to swindle the foreign businesswoman by offering her a purported deal to purchase 70 kilograms of gold.
However, the plot fell apart after the would-be victim demanded to verify the authenticity of the gold through official testing by the Ministry of Mining.
Although the suspects initially agreed, they later failed to appear for the scheduled test — a move that raised red flags.
The businesswoman, sensing deception, decided to cooperate with detectives to expose the fraudsters.
In a follow-up meeting arranged under police surveillance, one of the suspects picked her up from Yaya Centre and drove her to Rose Villa Estate, where the fake gold deal was to be finalised.
Inside the house, detectives say, the men tried to pressure her into completing the transaction.
When the woman declined, the two became uneasy and fled the scene in a blue Mazda CX-5 (registration KDP 336R).
Their attempt to escape was short-lived, as officers swiftly intercepted the vehicle and arrested both men.
A subsequent search of the premises uncovered two gold smelting machines and nineteen smelting moulds, believed to be part of the fake gold operation.
The suspects are currently in custody and will be charged in court once investigations are complete.
Authorities have in recent years warned of an increase in fake gold deals targeting foreign investors, often involving forged documents and elaborate setups designed to appear legitimate.
