The ongoing investigation into the Ksh 1 billion jobs scam orchestrated by First Choice Recruitment Agency has revealed a sophisticated money laundering scheme linked to the agency’s CEO, Judy Jepchirchir.
The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA), led by Director Alice Mate, disclosed that four properties tied to Jepchirchir have been identified in Nairobi, Machakos, and Eldoret.
These properties were deliberately registered under proxies, with the aim of hiding Jepchirchir’s direct involvement and concealing the illegal proceeds of the fraudulent activities.
The investigation has further revealed that 27 bank accounts associated with Jepchirchir and her accomplices received close to Ksh 300 million over a span of three years, between February 2020 and May 2023.
The ARA, in collaboration with financial experts, is currently tracing the movement of these funds to establish direct links between the fraudulent job scam and the properties that were acquired using the ill-gotten money.
Investigators are looking to freeze these assets and recover the stolen funds as part of the broader crackdown on financial crimes.
Jepchirchir’s scam involved duping thousands of young Kenyans with promises of lucrative jobs abroad, particularly in countries like Qatar and Australia.
Victims were made to pay large sums, sometimes as high as Ksh 800,000, under the guise of processing fees for job placements that never materialized.
During the Senate committee hearings, emotional testimonies from victims painted a grim picture of families left destitute after selling off their assets, including land and livestock, to pay the agency’s exorbitant fees.
Many of the victims revealed they underwent fake medical tests, were issued fraudulent receipts, and received no refunds when the promised jobs failed to materialize.
Some were even forced to take loans to cover the fees, which they are now struggling to repay.
The Senate hearing also brought to light allegations that the scam was protected by powerful political figures, making it difficult for the victims to seek justice.
However, with the ARA now actively involved, there is renewed hope that the culprits will be brought to justice, and the victims will be compensated for their losses.
There are growing calls for tighter regulation of recruitment agencies in Kenya.
Many critics argue that the current system allows for such scams to flourish, as evidenced by First Choice’s ability to operate for several years despite having an expired license.
The Senate committee has recommended that the National Employment Authority (NEA) be held accountable for failing to regulate the agency, and there are demands for a complete overhaul of Kenya’s recruitment policies to prevent future exploitation of vulnerable job seekers.
The road to justice, however, is marked with challenges.
While the ARA has made big progress in identifying the assets and tracking the flow of money, the full extent of the scam is yet to be revealed.
More victims are expected to come forward, and additional accounts and properties may be linked to Jepchirchir and her accomplices.
In the meantime, the Senate has urged authorities to expedite the investigation and bring those responsible to justice, while working to ensure that the victims are not left to shoulder the financial burden of this massive fraud.
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