The ongoing investigation into an alleged Ksh.500 million international fraud scheme has taken a major step forward after the Milimani Chief Magistrate’s Court granted search warrants covering multiple offices and properties linked to a businessman and a group of other individuals and companies.
The court approved the request made by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations under the Economic and Commercial Crimes Unit, allowing officers to access several locations across Nairobi to collect materials that may support the inquiry.
Investigators were given authority to search different buildings including Flamingo Towers in Upper Hill, Silver Stone Building in Kilimani, Uhuru Highway Mall in Nairobi West, and the PWC Building in Westlands.
According to information filed before the court, the search teams are expected to seize documents, computers, servers, mobile phones, electronic storage gadgets, and any other items that may hold useful information.
These will later undergo forensic analysis to help the officers piece together how the suspected scheme was organised and who may have been involved.
The warrants, issued on October 30, 2025, list several individuals such as lawyer Stephen Juma Ndeda, Michael Omondi Okongo, David Onyango Ochanda, Luke Onyango, Abdifatah Adan Kalicha, Abel Onyango Noah, Abdullahi Bare, Joseph Verde, Oloo Collins Juma, Kenedy Oyoo Mboya, Susan Kilonzo Wambua, Stephen Roy Onyango, Judith Akinyi Riaga, and Collins Juma Aloo, among others.
At the same time, a number of companies have been placed under investigation, including Toureg Insurance Agency, Albeirut Wael Enterprises, Urufle Trading Company Ltd, Fatimark Energy Ltd, and Affluent Wealth Managers.
Details presented to the court show that the case began after a complaint by American national Charles Blake Stringer, a director of Nutra-Acres LLC in Texas. Stringer reported that in June 2024 he was linked, through a U.S.-based broker, to a Kenyan firm known as Affluent Wealth Management.
The firm reportedly told him they could help him secure a Ksh.500 million loan for his agricultural projects in Africa.
After several online discussions, he later travelled to Nairobi where he met representatives of the company.
Investigators say Stringer was informed that he first needed to take a life insurance policy through Toureg Insurance Agency to qualify for the loan. He was later introduced to a man who presented himself as the CEO of the agency and a representative of a Swedish insurer said to be called Continental Insurance.
Court papers indicate that between June 2024 and January 2025, Stringer made payments totalling Ksh.98.7 million to accounts linked to the suspects and the companies under the probe.
Bank documents submitted to the court suggest the money was quickly withdrawn or moved through RTGS transfers to firms such as Urufle Trading Company and Fatimark Energy Ltd. Some of the cash was also withdrawn directly by individuals named in the case. Stringer also paid Ksh.7.3 million to Ndeda & Company Advocates as legal fees and sent Ksh.647,500 to one of the suspects for what he was told was the registration of a new firm, Nutra Acres Africa Ltd.
In the end, he stated that he never received the loan he was promised.
According to Cpl. Brian Musau of the ECCU, early findings show that crucial digital and physical evidence is likely stored in the premises targeted by the search warrants. Detectives believe the collected materials will help determine whether the suspects participated in offences such as obtaining money by false pretences, organised criminal activity, conspiracy to defraud, acquisition and use of proceeds of crime, computer fraud, and money laundering.
These offences fall under several laws including the Penal Code, the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act, the Prevention of Organised Crimes Act, and the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act. Some of the suspects have already been charged at the Kahawa Law Courts as investigations continue.
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