DCI arrests four Chinese nationals in Nairobi over SIM-swapping and money laundering

The case began when a businesswoman reported that her two Safaricom lines had been hijacked, preventing her from making calls or accessing M-Pesa services. Investigators discovered that the compromised lines were used to receive funds from a gaming and betting platform, which were then transferred through a network of mobile numbers and bank accounts linked to the suspects. The arrested individuals are Xiaoling Gu, Guodong Fu, Wenji Gao, and Gu Xiaopeng.

During searches at their premises, authorities recovered 24 SIM cards 15 Safaricom, 9 Airtel, 6 SIM cards belonging to foreign nationals, 6 mobile phones, laptops, 3 ATM cards, and KSh 1,125,800 in cash. The suspects appeared before the Kibra Chief Magistrate's Court on September 1, 2026, and are currently in custody awaiting a bond application ruling on September 4, 2026. The investigation is ongoing.