Police have arrested a Chinese national over his involvement in a scam in which over 6000 Ugandans lost over shs4.5 billion in a football Ponzi scheme.
BLQ which operated like a football betting site where users would suggest fixtures and predict their scores but the user would be in business if the company predicted wrongly on a match.
In October last year, the scamming company closed business in Uganda leaving thousands of Ugandans who had accounts with it in tears.
On Friday, police announced the arrest of Yinghe Chen, a 43 year old Chinese national, also a resident of UCB Zone in Bukoto, Nakawa division in Kampala.
“The arrest follows an interagency investigation by the National cyber task force into allegations of fraud by Acclaim BLQ Sports SMC, with its five subsidiary companies,” deputy police spokesperson, Polly Namaye said.
The national cyber task force comprises of CID, Crime Intelligence (CI), ISO, ESO, CMI, Bank of Uganda, NIRA, NITA Uganda and Uganda Banker Association, among others.
The deputy police spokesperson said the arrest of the Chinese brings to five, the number of people arrested over the scam.
The others include Mary Awori, the wife to Chen Yinghe, another Chinese national, both registered as directors for BLQ Sports, Akoth Justine Oboth, Achola Mary and Biira Shamim and have since been arraigned in court and remanded.
“The estimated number of victims stands at 6000 Ugandans with losses of over shs4.5 billion shillings. Acclaim BLQ Sports SMC operated under the slogan " You lose, You win" which is believed to have attracted many people to the online betting company,” Namaye said.
She added that the Chinese national will soon be arraigned in courts of law as the hunt for other owners and directors of the scam company continue.