Tanzanian authorities arrest 137 in multinational bank card fraud scheme
Tanzanian anti-corruption authorities have arrested more than 137 suspects, including two Chinese nationals, in connection with a sophisticated bank card fraud operation that allegedly laundered over 18 billion Tanzanian shillings ($7 million) through stolen foreign payment details. The investigation, conducted by the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) over seven months, uncovered a network spanning multiple continents and exploiting electronic payment systems across Tanzania's tourism and service sectors.
Background and Context
The scheme operated between 2022 and 2025, according to PCCB officials, who said the investigation began in May 2025 in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, and the Tanzania Revenue Authority. Criminals reportedly obtained stolen bank card details belonging to foreign nationals and used them to make fraudulent payments for services in Tanzania that were never actually provided to the legitimate cardholders. The operation allegedly targeted small-scale Tanzanian merchants, many of them young entrepreneurs whose bank accounts were used to receive and launder the illicit proceeds.
Key Figures and Entities
Among those arrested are Chinese nationals Yao Licong and Wang Weisi, who were apprehended in Dar es Salaam's Oysterbay Phoenix Apartments while transporting 707,075 US dollars and 281.45 million Tanzanian shillings concealed in travel bags, according to PCCB Regional Head Christian Nyakizee. Yao Licong had previously been sought by authorities for allegedly establishing five shell companies involved in tax evasion and money laundering amounting to 1.8 trillion Tanzanian shillings between 2019 and 2025. Three cases have already been filed at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate's Court, charging seven Chinese nationals, one Bulgarian national, and one Tanzanian with offenses related to tax evasion, money laundering, and economic sabotage.
Legal and Financial Mechanisms
The fraud operation allegedly exploited multiple payment channels, including Point of Sale (POS) machines, payment links, e-commerce platforms, and government control numbers to process fraudulent transactions. Investigators determined that stolen bank card information belonged to victims from 11 countries, including the United States, Canada, Japan, and several European nations. The funds were initially deposited into merchant accounts belonging to Tanzanian traders before being transferred or withdrawn through various channels. PCCB officials report that 1 billion Tanzanian shillings has been recovered so far, with another 3 billion frozen in suspects' bank accounts pending completion of investigations.
International Implications and Policy Response
The case highlights significant vulnerabilities in cross-border payment systems and the challenges faced by authorities in tracking and intercepting illicit financial flows across multiple jurisdictions. With suspects originating from China, Cameroon, Nigeria, Pakistan, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, and Tanzania, the operation demonstrates the global nature of modern financial crime. PCCB officials have warned Tanzanian citizens against registering shell companies for the purpose of facilitating bank card fraud and have called for greater public cooperation in preventing such schemes. The bureau continues to pursue legal proceedings against additional suspects and efforts to recover stolen funds from affected international bank accounts.
Sources
This report draws on statements provided by the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) during media briefings in Dar es Salaam, court filings at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate's Court, and information from the Tanzania Revenue Authority regarding the investigation into financial crimes conducted between 2022 and 2025.
