How a Somali businessman selling phones was used to launder over Ksh 28 million defrauded from an American businessman in a fake gold scam



Wednesday, February 18, 2026 - Sleuths from the Operation Support Unit (OSU) have arrested a second suspect, Mohammed Noor Muhyadhin Mohammed, for money laundering involving proceeds from a gold scam that fleeced an American national of USD 217,900 in a deal that promised glitter but delivered dust.

Mohammed, the sole proprietor of Mohazcom Trading, a registered Kenyan business that deals in mobile phones sourced primarily from Tecno Mobile Limited in Hong Kong, now finds himself on the wrong side of the law as investigators tighten the noose on a well-orchestrated scheme.

His arrest follows the earlier apprehension of Willis Onyango Wasonga, aka Marcus, who was arraigned before the Milimani Law Courts on February 16th, 2026.

Investigations revealed that on February 3rd, 2026, Mohammed received a swift transfer of USD 217,900 through his company’s account at the National Bank of Kenya.

The funds had been debited from the MOAC Advocates accounts, also held at the same bank.

The money was purportedly payment for 495 kilograms of gold that was never delivered to the victim.

Barely had the dollars hit his account than Mohammed wired the entire amount overseas to accounts held by Tecno Mobile Limited at Citibank in Hong Kong, allegedly to facilitate a new shipment of mobile phones that is yet to set foot in Kenya.

Further investigations have established that Mohammed has maintained a business relationship spanning over a decade with a Forex Bureau, located along Standard Street in Nairobi, and has been working very closely with its proprietor.

The forex bureau is believed to have played a key role in the laundering of funds, routinely facilitating substantial cross-border transfers, including the transaction under investigation.

In an attempt to sanitise the suspicious transfer of USD 217,900, MOAC Advocates presented a debt settlement agreement allegedly signed by Mohammed and another suspect who is still at large.

However, detectives have determined that the document was merely a smokescreen, a paper shield crafted to conceal a fraudulent enterprise.

Mohammed is currently in custody, undergoing processing pending arraignment. Meanwhile, detectives are hot on the heels of three additional suspects who are still at large.

This case underscores the Directorate of Criminal Investigations’ commitment in the fight against gold scams and money laundering, through relentless pursuit of fraudsters who seek to exploit investors and tarnish the country’s reputation.


Via DCI

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