Detectives in Imenti North, Meru County, have arrested a key suspect linked to a fake gold investment syndicate that swindled a 61-year-old retired civil servant out of more than Ksh 7.5 million.
The victim, a former Teachers Service Commission (TSC) employee, fell prey to the scheme after being promised massive profits from what was presented as a lucrative gold investment business.
According to investigators, the complainant lost a total of Ksh 7,595,309 between February and April 2026 through multiple bank and M-Pesa transactions made to the fraudsters.
After weeks of intelligence-led investigations, detectives tracked down the prime suspect, identified as Dennis Kinoti, and arrested him at his hideout in the Gakurine area of Meru County.
During a search at the suspect’s residence, detectives recovered several Safaricom SIM cards believed to have been used in coordinating the fraudulent transactions.
Police also seized a grey Volkswagen Passat suspected to have been purchased using proceeds from the scam. The vehicle was towed to Meru Police Station where it is being held as an exhibit as investigations continue.
The suspect is currently in police custody awaiting arraignment, while detectives intensify a manhunt for other accomplices believed to be part of the fraud syndicate.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has warned Kenyans against falling for flashy gold investment deals promising quick riches, noting that fraudsters are increasingly using sophisticated tricks to target unsuspecting victims.
