Kenyan man arrested over Ksh78M fake gold fraud
By Cynthia Lodite, March 26, 2026Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have busted a man linked to a fake gold scam targeting an Australian national.
In a post on the official DCI X account on Thursday, March,26,2026, the detectives confirmed that the person of interest was traced following a complaint by the victim
“According to investigators, the complaint dates back to October 2025, when the victim, while in Dubai, was introduced to an individual identified as Marshall Morrison, who allegedly posed as an American investor,” DCI said.
The detectives explained that the person of interest linked the complainant to an accomplice who presented himself as a facilitator of a 590 kg gold consignment transaction.
“Morrison is said to have linked the victim to Okonji, who presented himself as a facilitator of a 590 kg gold consignment transaction,” DCI noted.
Investigations further indicate that the complainant was taken to Tanzania, where he was shown purported mining sites, before being brought to Kenya.
At the same time, DCI confirmed that the person of interest staged a series of meetings and prepared documentation to convince the victim that arrangements were underway to ship the gold consignment to Dubai.
“The suspects allegedly staged a series of meetings and prepared documentation to convince the victim that arrangements were underway to ship the gold consignment to Dubai,” DCI noted.
With the victim trusting the process and the series of staged meetings, the complainant reportedly transferred Ksh78 million.
Upon realising a potential scam, the DCI explained that the complainant swiftly moved to report the matter to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
“Believing the transaction to be legitimate, the complainant reportedly transferred USD 600,000 through Conrad Law Advocates LLC before later suspecting fraud and reporting the matter to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI),” DCI explained.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has reiterated its commitment to dismantling transnational fraud syndicates, disrupting organised investment scams, and ensuring that proceeds of crime are identified, traced, and recovered in accordance with the law.