A 60-year-old Zimbabwean professor, Moses Chademana, has been arrested and charged with kidnapping and impersonation in connection with a cryptocurrency scam. The professor, who is based in South Africa, allegedly masterminded a plot to abduct a couple, Sheperd Sikhosana and his wife Sekayi Adelpha, and coerce them into revealing their cryptocurrency holdings valued at US$13 billion.
According to the prosecution, Chademana and his accomplices in South Africa hatched a plan on May 13, 2024, to abduct the couple, who had engaged a company to recover their hacked cryptocurrency. The kidnappers, posing as Interpol agents, abducted the couple in Johannesburg and transported them to Zimbabwe, where they were handed over to Chademana.
The victims were warned not to alert anyone about their situation and were only able to escape when they alerted a relative about their location, leading to Chademana’s arrest. The professor was granted bail of US$1,000 and remanded out of custody until June 13.
The investigation is ongoing, and it is unclear if there are other suspects involved in the scam. The case has highlighted the need for cryptocurrency holders to be vigilant and to report any suspicious activities to the authorities.
