Following complaints by several thousand Nigerians who accused Swiss Golden (an online investment platform) of fraud, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has taken action by arresting two Nigerians and a Russian. The sum of ₦216 million was also retrieved from the alleged criminals.
The details
According to the petition lodged with the EFCC, thousands of Nigerians complained that they were lured into investing their money in the Swiss Golden, an online platform that is supposedly all about buying and selling of gold bares. Unfortunately for them, they bought into the scheme not knowing that it was a fraud. Altogether, they invested about a billion naira before realising that it was all a scam when Swiss Golden refused to either pay them dividends as agreed or even refund their money.
After conducting their investigations, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was able to arrest the Russian [Maxim Lobaty], and two Nigerians: Dickson Nonso Okechukwu and Austin Emenike. The three suspects have since been taken to the Northern Nigerian city of Kano for further investigations.
Following interrogations by the EFCC in Kano, Maxim, Dickson, and Austin all agreed to refund the money. Consequently, the commision has so far recovered a total sum of ₦216, 402,565.05.
The investigation is still ongoing, even as the EFCC is making efforts to recover the rest of the money from the alleged suspects.
It should be noted that the complainants are not the only Nigerians who have fallen victim to Swiss Golden. Over seven thousand Nigerians have so far been defrauded to the tune of ₦3 billion.
Though Swiss Golden presents itself as a legitimate business enterprise, there is no information about its date of incorporation, or who the founder is. It is however stated on their website that the online began operations about five years ago. Their Chief Executive Officer is Kseniya Kreger. Their administrative headquarters is at no. 88, Wood str., London.
The Nigerian operation has a standard business website and lists no. 4 Idowu Martins, Victoria Island, Lagos as its address . The organization has been categorized as an organized Ponzi scheme designed to defraud innocent Nigerians of their money.
Some Nigerians’ need to make quick money often drive them into participating in these Ponzi schemes that keep cropping up every now and then. Unfortunately, these schemes usually collapse. Just this month, MMM finally announced the complete closure of its operations after millions of Nigerians have already lost millions to it.