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DCI: How millions of shillings vanished from accounts of victims of cybercrime suspects
It says the ongoing investigation has further revealed how the gang has been targeting bank accounts of retirees, especially women, as soon as their pension benefits are debited
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has detailed how victims of Mombasa-based cybercrime suspects were conned of millions of victims after they spoofed their calls
Fortune Muthina Kinyanzui alias Albanas Kyalo, Ruel Kipkoech Yator alias Papa Ruel, Laban Kipkirui Koech, Weldon Kipyegon Rono, Towet Kipkorir Alphonce and Kelvin Kipyegon Koech were arrested by detectives from the DCI’s Operations Directorate on Wednesday APA apartments Hse no. B2 (AirBnB) located along 1st Avenue in Nyali, which they were using as training and work station.
The are alleged to have been social-engineering their victims by use of a call spoofing application to disguise their identities, through manipulation of phone calls and numbers to make them appear as if they were originating from authentic call centres.
In its update, the DIC, which had asked those who had fell victim to fraud to aid its probe, revealed that in one case reported at Nyahururu Police Station on January 17, a man lost Ksh 3.4 million while another woman woke up to a zero balance and Ksh 1.8 million poorer in the morning of March 14, 2025.
“At Nakuru’s Mwariki Police Station, a third victim reported the loss of Ksh 1.3 million on April 7 after a call with a person he believed was a customer service agent, given the phone number used to contact him. The same fate befell an elderly woman who lost Ksh 1.2 million on the same date.”
According to DCI, the ongoing investigation has further revealed how the gang has been targeting bank accounts of retirees, especially women, as soon as their pension benefits are debited.
It gave the case of a 63-year-old former employee at the ministry of Lands who lost Ksh 2.3 million while in another instance, a forme employee of the County Government of Nakuru lost Ksh 1.6 million. Another Ksh 1.5 million.
“Such are the chilling accounts analysed just hours after the gang’s arrest, whose lives have been turned upside down by the masterminds; Dominic Kipkoech Langat and Fortune Muthina Kinyanzui. Further established is that Dominic Langat, who also goes by the alias name Solobwek, has mostly been operating using the numbers 0750000040 and 073433335, which have been transacting monies in excess of a million daily since April.”
In the well-coordinated fraud, Kinyanzui is alleged to have been charging his web of accomplices Ksh 16,000 daily as airtime to recharge the spoofing accounts, and between ksh 30,000 and Ksh 120,000 as his share depending on each day’s kill.
“Solobwek pays the other gang members between 10 per cent and 15 per cent depending on how much they bring on the bloody table. The investigation is still ongoing with a view to identify any more culprits or victims, and uncover how the stolen money was withdrawn and shared amongst the perpetrators in cash.”
