The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has declared one foreign national, Elie Bitar, wanted for his alleged involvement in a cryptocurrency fraud linked to an online trading platform, Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX).
According to an official bulletin issued by the Commission, Bitar, 41, is wanted for a suspected fraudulent scheme carried out via CBEX, which has reportedly defrauded multiple unsuspecting investors across Nigeria.
The anti-graft commission states: “The public is hereby notified that ELIE BITAR, whose photograph appears above, is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for fraud allegedly perpetrated on an online trading platform called Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX)”.
The Commission that Bitar’s last known address was at Eng. George Enemoh Crescent, Lekki Phase 1, Lekki, Lagos State.
The EFCC therefore, urges anyone with useful information regarding Bitar’s whereabouts to contact any of its zonal offices in Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt, or Abuja.
The public can also reach the commission via the phone number 08093322644 or email at info@efcc.gov.ng.
CBEX emerged in the wake of Nigeria’s growing appetite for cryptocurrency investments and the resort for quick money made worse by the greedy appetite of the political leaders.
CBEX promised it’s users quick and high returns through crypto trading and investments, but soon drew suspicion over its lack of regulatory compliance and transparency.
The EFCC’s investigation into CBEX has reportedly uncovered a trail of transactions linked to Bitar and other individuals, some of whom have been arrested.
Head of Media and Publicity at the EFCC, Alhaji Dele Oyewale, signed the notice, reaffirming the agency’s commitment to tracking down individuals exploiting Nigerians through financial fraud schemes.
But, Nigerians are worried that the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) never timeously until fruadstars had defrauded several people.
The NFIU is accused of either lack of capacity, negligence, or connivance in such fraudulent practices, which is also affecting confidence in the nation’s banking system.
The High level of crimes involving huge sums of money, especially kidnappings and associated crimes, are blamed on lack of capacity on the part of EFCC and NFIU to perform their statutory duties.
