The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has announced a partnership with the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) to investigate the alleged ₦1.3 trillion cyber fraud linked to the collapse of CryptoBank Exchange (CBEX), a digital investment platform.
CBEX, which was reportedly operated by a syndicate of foreign nationals in collaboration with Nigerian partners, abruptly crashed on Monday, leaving thousands of investors stranded and unable to access their funds.
EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, revealed that the Commission had already been monitoring the platform prior to its collapse and has since intensified its investigation. He noted that both local and international operators involved in the scheme are being tracked, with arrests expected soon.
“Now that the scheme has collapsed, the major actors and their collaborators will be brought in,” Oyewale stated. He reassured the public of EFCC’s commitment to protecting Nigerians from the growing menace of Ponzi and other fraudulent investment schemes.
The Commission, he added, had earlier issued advisories against 58 suspicious companies and is currently investigating several others involved in similar operations.
Oyewale emphasized that while local investigations are ongoing, the EFCC is also leveraging its partnership with INTERPOL to trace and apprehend the foreign masterminds behind the scam.
