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Dr Guramatunhu loses money in cryptocurrency scam
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Renowned ophthalmologist Dr Solomon Guramatunhu has reportedly lost more than US$583,000 in a cryptocurrency scam allegedly orchestrated by a business associate and her husband, a Harare court heard yesterday.
The accused, Melissa Messe Samantha Chiyangwa, appeared before magistrate Ms Marehwanazvo Gofa facing charges of theft and unauthorised use of passwords. She was remanded in custody until today for bail consideration.
According to court documents, the scam dates back to 2020 when Dr Guramatunhu, while in India, purchased cryptocurrency from a UK-based company. Upon returning to Zimbabwe, he engaged Lloyd Chiyangwa, the accused's husband, to assist in creating five digital wallets - Trust Wallet, Exodus, Cosmostation, Wemix, and Metamask - to secure his investments.
The prosecution alleges that between October 31, 2021, and January 7, 2024, Melissa Chiyangwa, in collaboration with her husband, unlawfully accessed Dr Guramatunhu's Metamask wallet and diverted cryptocurrency tokens worth US$583,660.24 to a trading platform known as Waybit Exchange.
The theft was only discovered on January 27, 2024, when Dr Guramatunhu tried to move his tokens to a different wallet but realised the funds were missing. Further investigations traced the transactions and confirmed that several high-end electronic devices were used in the scheme, including an iPhone 14, iPhone 12 Pro, Linux U, Macintosh, and an Android device.
Prosecutors say the accused is believed to still be moving stolen tokens to unknown destinations, using digital communication tools that are yet to be recovered by the authorities.
The case has raised fresh concerns about cybercrime and digital asset security in Zimbabwe, where cryptocurrency remains unregulated despite growing adoption among private investors.
The matter continues today as the court deliberates on whether to grant Chiyangwa bail.
The accused, Melissa Messe Samantha Chiyangwa, appeared before magistrate Ms Marehwanazvo Gofa facing charges of theft and unauthorised use of passwords. She was remanded in custody until today for bail consideration.
According to court documents, the scam dates back to 2020 when Dr Guramatunhu, while in India, purchased cryptocurrency from a UK-based company. Upon returning to Zimbabwe, he engaged Lloyd Chiyangwa, the accused's husband, to assist in creating five digital wallets - Trust Wallet, Exodus, Cosmostation, Wemix, and Metamask - to secure his investments.
The prosecution alleges that between October 31, 2021, and January 7, 2024, Melissa Chiyangwa, in collaboration with her husband, unlawfully accessed Dr Guramatunhu's Metamask wallet and diverted cryptocurrency tokens worth US$583,660.24 to a trading platform known as Waybit Exchange.
The theft was only discovered on January 27, 2024, when Dr Guramatunhu tried to move his tokens to a different wallet but realised the funds were missing. Further investigations traced the transactions and confirmed that several high-end electronic devices were used in the scheme, including an iPhone 14, iPhone 12 Pro, Linux U, Macintosh, and an Android device.
Prosecutors say the accused is believed to still be moving stolen tokens to unknown destinations, using digital communication tools that are yet to be recovered by the authorities.
The case has raised fresh concerns about cybercrime and digital asset security in Zimbabwe, where cryptocurrency remains unregulated despite growing adoption among private investors.
The matter continues today as the court deliberates on whether to grant Chiyangwa bail.
Source - the herald
