A 24-year-old Chinhoyi University of Technology student has appeared in court accused of running a bogus investment scheme that lured members of the public into losing a combined US$20,600, with prosecutors alleging the scam was dressed up as a legitimate clothing business on WhatsApp.
Tanaka Kelly Miller, of Rusununguko in Chinhoyi, was arrested on 4 July following an investigation by detectives from the CID’s Commercial Crimes Division, who had received a tip-off about a suspected investment racket operating in Harare.
How The Scheme Allegedly Worked
According to the State, Miller and an accomplice set up a WhatsApp group in September 2024 called “CMD Fashions,” presenting it publicly as a genuine clothing business. Behind the scenes, prosecutors allege, the group was used to pull members of the public into an investment scheme promising unusually high returns — between 40 and 70 percent — within a short window of time.
Investors were reportedly told to pay their money into retail shop accounts based in Harare’s CBD, on the understanding that the funds would be invested on their behalf. Instead, the State alleges, the money was collected by Miller and passed on to cashiers allegedly linked to the operation, who now face their own separate criminal charges.
Investigators established that none of the US$20,600 lost by complainants has been recovered.
Court Appearance
Miller appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Court facing fraud charges. She was granted US$100 bail, on condition that she does not interfere with State witnesses or the ongoing investigation, and that she continues to reside at her registered address while the case proceeds.
A Familiar Pattern
The case adds to a growing list of WhatsApp and social-media-based investment scams that have surfaced in Zimbabwe in recent years, often disguised as legitimate small businesses to build trust before investors are asked to hand over money. Authorities have repeatedly urged the public to be wary of schemes promising fast, unusually high returns, and to verify any investment opportunity before transferring funds.
Court proceedings are ongoing.
