City accountant loses Sh375k in fake bitcoin deal
A Nairobi accountant lost Sh 375,000 to a middle aged businessman in a fake forex investment deal.
Benjamin Ndei Mugoya is now pursuing a refund from Patrick Muchiri Kamau who was Tuesday charged at the Makadara law courts with obtaining the Sh 375, 000 from him and additional Sh50, 000 from a trader by false pretenses.
Kamau was accused of conning from Mugoya Purity Muriithi on diverse dates between December last year and May this year.
He allegedly conned the complainants while falsely claiming he was in a position to open a forex account and invest in forex bitcoin investments with a company called BNB Forex.
Mugoya met Kamau in CBD through a friend and after introductions, Kamau told him that he was the sole sales representative of the firm in Kenya. He then convinced him that there were huge returns in the business.
Kamau told Mugoya that he needed to deposit Sh400,000 in his [Kamau’s] bank account to be forwarded to BNB Forex for opening a trading account.
Anticipating huge profits, Mugoya started transferring the cash in different amounts on different dates between April and May.
Kamau later switched off his phone on May 22 after receiving a total of Sh375,000 from Mugoya.
He had already received Sh50, 000 in two installments in December last year and January this year.
He denied the charges before senior principal magistrate Steve Jalango. He was freed on a bond of Sh200,000 and an alternative cash bail of Sh 150,000. Hearing of the case starts on February 22, next year.