In March 2007, as Kenyans were fully immersed in the campaign season, headlines exploded with the news that Lang’ata MP Raila Odinga had been gifted a brand-new Hummer H3. Even Miguna Miguna, who was just a blogger then, couldn’t keep his cool—it was simply unbelievable! It wasn’t just the Kibaki campaign secretariat that was left stunned—millions of Kenyans found it hard to believe that the extravagant Humvee came from a 26-year-old. Enter Mr. Don Bosco Gichana.
A Mysterious Young Millionaire
Unlike most of his age mates, who were barely getting by, Don Bosco Gichana had deep pockets. In fact, the only thing he had in common with them was his anonymity. He was young, rich, and seemingly untouchable.
His life story was one for the books—rising from the modest home of a Kisii teacher to becoming an American businessman just a few years after setting foot in the land of opportunity on a student visa.
From Kisii to the U.S: The Making of a Fraudster
As a teacher’s son, Don was naturally sharp, and his acceptance into St. Mary’s Yala National High School was proof of his intelligence. His brilliance earned him a scholarship to Brown University in the USA.
However, beyond connecting with fellow bookworms, Don met street-smart fraudsters. They specialized in two key scams:
- Business Email Compromise (BEC) – tricking high-profile companies into wiring money to fraudulent accounts.
- Fake Tax Refunds – stealing Social Security numbers of deceased or jailed Americans to file bogus tax claims.
How Don Bosco Became a Multi-Millionaire
Don and his crew executed identity theft schemes that funneled millions from the U.S. Treasury. Before long, he was a young millionaire, buying homes and luxury properties, including the posh Capri 7 Restaurant in Hurlingham.
One hot afternoon, while sipping juice at his restaurant, Don hatched a plan—Kenya was ripe for a scam. But he needed protection.
Gifting Raila a Hummer: A Political Cover
To ensure he had political backing, Don decided to support Raila Odinga’s presidential campaign. He gifted him a Hummer H3 and funded the Young Kenyans 4 Raila movement, rallying support from the diaspora.
This move was strategic—should trouble arise, he would have powerful allies to shield him.
The U.S. Crackdown & The Tanzania Heist
In July 2007, U.S. authorities launched a crackdown on a Kenyan syndicate running a similar scam. Don and his crew immediately went into hiding.
While laying low, they devised a new plan—writing fake U.S. Treasury checks and cashing them in Tanzania. But this plan had to wait until the heat died down.
The Ksh 96 Million Fina Bank Heist
As the U.S. crackdown intensified, Don turned his attention to Kenya. He targeted Fina Bank, convincing a manager to redirect Ksh 96 million meant for a Chinese contractor, Garden Real Estate Dev Ltd, into his sister’s account at Eco Bank.
A Secret Life in Politics and Football
To stay under the radar, Don set his sights on politics. He poured money into sports, becoming a key sponsor of Shabana FC, while secretly reviving his U.S. fraud operations.
At the same time, he partnered with Tanzanian lawyer Median Mwale to cash fake U.S. Treasury checks worth $5 million at CRDB Bank Tanzania.
The Downfall of Don Bosco Gichana
This last deal proved to be his undoing. The U.S. government alerted Tanzanian authorities, leading to the arrest of his accomplices. Fortunately for Don, he was in Kenya—beyond their reach.
But his days of running billion-dollar scams were numbered.
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