Mozzartbet proceeds of crime
In a landmark judgment, the Court of Appeal has ruled that KSh 256 million seized from Mozzartbet Kenya were proceeds of crime, ending the betting firm’s fight to reclaim the funds.
Judges Francis Toiyott, Fred Ochieng, and Aggrey Muchelule upheld findings by the Asset Recovery Agency (ARA) that the money was laundered through sham contracts and shell companies.
Shell Company Exposed
Mozzartbet argued that the funds were for a legitimate software contract with Kimaco Connection Ltd. But investigators found Kimaco was a ghost company with:
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No employees
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No income
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Nil tax returns filed with KRA
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No capacity to develop betting software
Instead, Kimaco funneled the money back to Mozzartbet directors Branimir Melentijevic, Emmanuel Charumbira, and Musa Cherutich Sirma through suspicious transactions.
The judges likened Kimaco to “a duck”—if it looks, swims, and quacks like one, it probably is.
Pattern of Deception
This is not Mozzartbet’s first controversy. The company has previously been accused of:
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Staging fake jackpot winners using actors
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Misleading the public with flashy ads and staged millionaire ceremonies
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Targeting vulnerable Kenyans, especially youth, who were lured into compulsive betting
While Mozzartbet spent heavily on sports sponsorships to polish its image, investigators now suggest this was a PR cover-up to distract from its fraudulent operations.
A Blow to Corporate Laundering in Kenya
The Court ruled that allowing Mozzartbet to recover the funds would be tantamount to endorsing money laundering.
The decision sends a strong message: corporates built on deception and corruption cannot buy their way out of justice in Kenya.