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27 arrested in Kenya over global investment scams
In Nigeria, police dismantled a high-yield investment fraud ring that recruited young individuals to carry out cyber-enabled crimes using phishing, identity theft, social engineering, and fake digital asset investment schemes.
27 suspects have been arrested in Kenya for allegedly luring their victims into fake investments in top global corporates, the global police body Interpol said on Thursday.
The arrests in Kenya were part of an operation across 16 African countries, targeting the infrastructure and individuals behind high-yield investment scams, mobile money fraud, and fraudulent mobile loan applications.
The arrested suspects in Kenya used messaging apps, social media, and fictitious testimonials to lure victims into making fake investments in reputable global corporations.
“Scammers solicited small initial investments ‒ as low as $50 (Sh6,451) ‒ with claims of lucrative returns. Victims were shown fabricated account statements or dashboards, but withdrawal requests were systematically blocked,” Interpol said about the suspects arrested in Kenya.
During an eight-week operation between December, and January 30, 2026, investigations exposed scams linked to over $45 million (Sh5.8billion) in financial losses and identified 1,247 victims, predominantly from the African continent but also from other regions of the world.
Authorities also seized 2,341 devices and took down 1,442 malicious IPs, domains, and servers, as well as other related infrastructure.
In Nigeria, police dismantled a high-yield investment fraud ring that recruited young individuals to carry out cyber-enabled crimes using phishing, identity theft, social engineering, and fake digital asset investment schemes.
“Over 1,000 fraudulent social media accounts were taken down, and investigators uncovered a residential property constructed by the syndicate ringleader to serve as the operational hub for the criminal activities,” Interpol said about Nigeria.
In Côte d’Ivoire, law enforcement made 58 arrests and seized 240 mobile phones, 25 laptops, and over 300 SIM cards in a targeted operation against mobile loan fraud.
The scams in Côte d’Ivoire predominantly targeted vulnerable populations through deceptive mobile applications and messaging services, attracting victims with promises of quick, unsecured loans, only to impose fees, enforce abusive debt-collection practices, and illicitly harvest sensitive personal and financial data.
“These organised cybercriminal syndicates inflict devastating financial and psychological harm on individuals, businesses, and entire communities with their false promises.” Neal Jetton, Interpol’s Director of the Cybercrime Directorate, said.
