Four Chinese nationals have been arrested in Nairobi following investigations into an alleged SIM-swapping and money laundering scheme that left a businesswoman without access to her mobile lines and M-Pesa services.
The suspects, identified as Xiaoling Gu, Guodong Fu, Wenji Gao and Gu Xiaopeng, were arrested after detectives traced transactions believed to have passed through mobile numbers and bank accounts linked to them.
The investigation began when the businesswoman realised that her two Safaricom lines had suddenly stopped working. She could no longer make calls or access services connected to the lines, including M-Pesa.
Concerned by the sudden loss of her mobile services, she reported the matter to the police. Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Parklands then began investigating how her lines had been disconnected and whether they had been used without her knowledge.
Investigators later established that the two mobile lines had allegedly been used to receive money from a gaming and betting platform.
The funds were then moved through several mobile numbers and bank accounts, leading detectives to widen their investigation.
The movement of the money eventually brought the investigators closer to the four suspects, who were subsequently arrested in Nairobi.
A search of the suspects’ premises also led to the recovery of several items that detectives believe could assist in the investigation.
Among the items recovered were 15 Safaricom SIM cards and nine Airtel SIM cards registered under different names.
Detectives also recovered six SIM cards belonging to foreign nationals, six mobile phones and laptops.
Three ATM cards registered to different account holders were also found during the operation.Police further recovered KSh1,125,800 in cash from the premises.
The recovery of SIM cards registered under different persons has added another layer to the investigation, with detectives seeking to establish how the cards were obtained and how they may have been used in the suspected fraud.
The suspects were arraigned before the Kibra Chief Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. They remain in custody as the court considers their bond applications, with a ruling scheduled for September 4.
The case comes at a time when mobile phone services have become an important part of daily financial transactions, particularly through mobile money platforms.
A SIM swap can give criminals access to a victim’s mobile services and, in some cases, create an opportunity to interfere with financial accounts connected to a phone number.
Detectives are continuing to follow the money trail in the latest case. They are examining the transactions and accounts involved in an effort to establish the full extent of the alleged scheme and identify any other people who may have been involved.
The investigation remains ongoing, and police are expected to pursue additional leads that could result in more arrests.
The four suspects will remain in custody pending the court’s decision on their bond application.
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