A businessman has been charged before a Nairobi court with defrauding two foreign traders more than Sh22 million in an alleged fake gold supply scheme.
Jared Otieno appeared before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Martha Mutuku, where he was accused of obtaining large sums of money by falsely pretending that he was capable of supplying and exporting 50 kilograms of gold to international buyers.
Multiple Aliases Revealed in Court
The prosecution told the court that Otieno operates under multiple aliases, including:
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Jared Kiasa Otieno
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Jared Smith Otieno
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Richard Otieno
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Jared Smith Mackenzie Otieno
Prosecutors said the use of multiple names was part of a deliberate effort to conceal identity and evade detection in the alleged transnational fraud scheme.
Millions Allegedly Obtained From Foreign Traders
According to the charge sheet, Otieno is accused of obtaining $169,000 (about Sh17.4 million) from Mustaq Hefeji Dawood on diverse dates between October 4, 2015 and October 31, 2016, within Nairobi County.
He allegedly claimed he was in a position to ship 50 kilograms of gold from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to Kuwait International Airport—a claim prosecutors say he knew to be false.
In a separate count, Otieno is accused of obtaining 40,500 euros (about Sh4.65 million) from Mohammed Imad Mokdad between June 2 and June 13, 2025, again by falsely claiming he could ship 50 kilograms of gold from JKIA to Beirut, Lebanon.
In both instances, the prosecution maintains that no gold was ever supplied or shipped.
Court Releases Accused on Bond
Otieno denied the charges.
After considering submissions from both sides, the court released him on a bond of Sh3 million with a surety of a similar amount, or an alternative cash bail of Sh500,000.
The case will be mentioned on a later date for pre-trial directions.
Gold Scams Under the Spotlight
The case adds to a growing list of fake gold export scams being prosecuted in Kenyan courts, many involving foreign investors lured by promises of lucrative gold deals.
Investigators say such schemes often exploit Kenya’s position as a regional transport hub, with fraudsters frequently citing JKIA and international destinations to create an illusion of legitimacy.