Chinese National Nabbed in K184,000 Online Scam
The Zambian police have arrested 32-year-old Chinese national Paheerding Aimaiti for allegedly turning bracelets into bait and using cryptocurrency to whisk away people’s hard-earned cash faster than a katundu thief at Soweto Market.
The suspect is linked to a suspicious online platform known as JIXW, which claimed to be a bracelet manufacturing company. Promoted heavily by social media influencers and “celebs” who probably didn’t read the fine print, the platform hoodwinked people between January and April 2025. Instead of manufacturing bracelets, the platform was allegedly manufacturing heartbreak and confusion one mobile money deposit at a time.
Police say the scheme lured Zambians into a fake investment trap, where users were told to “invest” money and earn returns, but instead ended up just watching their money vanish into cyberspace like nshima left unattended with goats around. The funds were allegedly funneled abroad through cryptocurrency, which, let’s be honest, most victims couldn’t even pronounce.
Upon arresting the suspect on April 16, officers recovered four iPhones, four Redmi phones, 15 SIM cards (yes, FIFTEEN!), and assorted beaded bracelets that probably had nothing to do with business but everything to do with misleading optics. It’s not yet clear if the bracelets had superpowers, but what’s certain is they didn’t protect anyone from financial disaster.
“Let this be a lesson,” said Godfrey Chilabi, the Zambia Police Assistant Public Relations Officer, “when something online promises you money faster than a chicken lays eggs, just know you’re about to be cooked.
This man didn’t come to manufacture bracelets, he came to manufacture problems.” His warning has since gone viral, especially among victims who admitted they ignored all red flags, including the fact that the company’s name sounded more like a Wi-Fi password than a legit business.
At least 36 people have officially reported losing money, and total damages are estimated at K184,000 money that could’ve been used for school fees, groceries, or maybe even to boost someone’s chili business. Aimaiti has been charged under the Cyber Crimes Act No. 4 of 2025 for using a computer system to commit offences, and under the Penal Code CAP 87 for obtaining money by false pretences Zambian version: ubufi na bwino packaging.
The suspect is currently out on police bond but will appear in court soon. Meanwhile, the Zambia Police is urging anyone else who “invested” in this digital drama to come forward. As Chilabi puts it, “Don’t be embarrassed report even if it was just K20. Because today it’s bracelets, tomorrow it will be magic beans. We must stop these scammers before they sell us back our own ZESCO poles.”
April 23, 2025
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