Luxe, iPhones et arnaques : Comment un ado de Kaolack a plumé 270 personnes et amassé 40 millions sur TikTok
The Kaolack Research Section has achieved a major success by putting an end to the activities of a formidable 17-year-old fraudster. The accused managed to swindle over 40 million CFA francs from 270 victims across Senegal via the social media platform TikTok.
A luxurious lifestyle for a miner
O. Niang, as he was known, lived a life of luxury in the commune of Taïba Niassène, in the locality of Santhie Thiamène. Living in a three-room house, his bedroom was furnished with a bed, wardrobe, and accessories, a 55-inch television, and air conditioning, all recently decorated. Luxury, iPhones, and scams: How a miner from Kaolack amassed 40 million on TikTok
The environmental investigation revealed that he had no legitimate income to justify this lifestyle befitting the son of a billionaire. Digital analysis of his phone also showed that on each trip to Dakar, he stayed in luxury hotels.
The modus operandi: a well-oiled scam
The young con artist used a TikTok account called "Columban Central Market," which had 23,100 followers. Every day, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., he went live to sell the latest iPhones at ridiculously low prices. Once a customer expressed interest, they were given a phone number to negotiate with an accomplice, Mr. Niass, who, according to Seneweb sources, is still at large.
As soon as the purchase was completed, payment was made via Wave. Immediately upon receipt, the money was transferred to the "Wave vault" to prevent any cancellation, and the customer was locked out. Victims were offered the option of collecting their packages at the Colobane market, the Keur Massar shopping center, Baye Niass's home in Castors, or the Sam market in Medina, but the scammers never showed up.
A remarkable piece of investigative work
Faced with the influx of complaints from all regions of Senegal (Dakar Research Section, Dakar and Keur Massar Research Brigades, Central Police, DIC, Ziguinchor and Kaolack Research Sections), the Head of the Kaolack Research Section set up a monitoring team supported by mobile phone operators and anonymous informants.
Thanks to planned and well-coordinated investigative techniques, investigators were able to locate the suspect in Santhie Thiamène. A search of his room led to the discovery of one of the phones used to commit the scams, as well as several SIM cards.
270 victims across Senegal
The investigation identified 270 victims. All of them purchased phones through Wave but never received them. The total losses amount to over 40 million CFA francs.
The investigation revealed that O. Niang could not have acted alone. His accomplice, M. Niass, still at large, was responsible for moderating the live stream, receiving calls, and managing Wave payments. To cover their tracks, they used national identity cards lost by others to identify the Wave numbers receiving the transfers.
During the search, investigators seized two televisions, three mattresses, a dining table, two chairs, and an iPhone 12 Pro used for live broadcasts. O. Niang was brought before the Kaolack High Court on Tuesday on charges of criminal conspiracy, fraud, obtaining property through electronic means, identity theft, and money laundering. The search continues for his accomplice, M. Niass.
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