A Kenyan court has heard explosive details of how executives at Mozzartbet allegedly orchestrated an elaborate money laundering operation, using sister company Kimaco Limited as a front to wash millions of shillings in what investigators describe as one of the most brazen betting industry frauds in recent years.
Court documents filed this week reveal that Mozzartbet funneled a staggering Sh256 million to Kimaco Limited under the guise of digital renovations and technology upgrades that never materialized. Instead, prosecutors allege the money was systematically channeled back to three Mozzartbet directors through a web of suspicious transactions designed to legitimize proceeds of crime.
The accused directors, Brainimir Melentijeviv, Emmanuel Charumbira and Musa Cherotich Sirma, now face serious allegations of orchestrating what investigators call a classic round-tripping scheme where dirty money leaves one door only to return cleaned through another.
The court heard damning testimony that instead of the promised technological investments that would have improved the betting platform, Kimaco simply acted as a conduit, moving funds in circles while taking cuts along the way. Financial analysts told the court this textbook money laundering tactic is commonly used by criminal enterprises to disguise the origins of ill-gotten gains.
But the scandal deepens. Court papers filed on Thursday expose an even more sinister plot where Mozzartbet allegedly paid off individuals with cash tokens to pose as jackpot winners in flashy advertising campaigns. These fabricated success stories, splashed across television screens and social media feeds, lured thousands of unsuspecting Kenyans into believing that striking it rich on the platform was not just possible but commonplace.
The deception worked. Kenyans poured millions into the betting platform, convinced by the parade of fake winners that fortune was just a bet away. Meanwhile, the real winners were allegedly the directors themselves, pocketing funds that should have gone to genuine winners and operational improvements.
The banking sector has now drawn a line in the sand. Financial institutions holding the disputed Sh256 million have refused point blank to release the funds back to Mozzartbet, insisting the money represents proceeds of crime. This rare move by banks signals just how seriously financial regulators are treating the case and suggests they have seen enough red flags to justify freezing the accounts.
As if the money laundering allegations were not enough, Mozzartbet faces yet another legal battle. A separate petition filed by disgruntled shareholders accuses the same executives of using intimidation tactics and outright blackmail to deny partners their rightful share of profits running into millions of shillings.
The petitioners paint a picture of a company run like a personal fiefdom where bosses Melentijeviv, Charumbira and Sirma allegedly use arrogance and threats to silence anyone who questions where the money goes. Shareholders claim they have been systematically frozen out of decision making and denied access to financial records that would show how their investments have been used.
The judge presiding over the shareholder dispute described the allegations as both weighty and critical, directing that the matter proceed to a full hearing next month. Legal observers say the case could blow the lid off corporate governance practices in Kenya’s multi-billion shilling betting industry, an sector that has long operated with minimal oversight despite handling vast sums of public money.
The Mozzartbet saga has sent shockwaves through an industry already under intense scrutiny for its impact on vulnerable Kenyans. Consumer protection groups have long warned that betting companies exploit the poor with false promises of easy money while the real profits flow upward to a select few at the top.
As the court cases grind forward, investigators continue piecing together the money trail, trying to determine exactly how much was stolen, who benefited and where the money ultimately ended up. With banks refusing to cooperate with Mozzartbet’s attempts to recover the frozen funds and shareholders now speaking out about alleged intimidation, the walls appear to be closing in on the embattled executives.
The case returns to court next month where the full extent of the alleged fraud will be laid bare. For now, the three directors at the center of the storm have yet to publicly respond to the allegations, leaving Kenyans to wonder just how deep the rot goes in a company that promised dreams but allegedly delivered only deception.
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