FRAUD: EFCC REMOVES FOREIGN NATIONAL FROM CBEX WANTED LIST

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has removed a foreign national, Elie Bitar, from the wanted list for Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX) fraud.

The anti-graft agency had on April 30 declared Bitar wanted over the alleged fraud perpetrated on the CBEX trading platform.

The EFCC included Bitrar’s name in the wanted notice it published across social media platforms.

The agency, in a now deleted post on its X handle signed by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said Bitar’s last known address was in the Lekki Phase 1 area of Lagos State.

However, in a statement issued on Wednesday EFCC spokesperson said Bitar’s name has been removed from the wanted list, citing the availability of new information.

“Ellie Bitar of CBEX Solutions Ltd., who was earlier declared wanted, has since been removed from the list owing to new information that does not support his inclusion in the wanted person’s list.

“The Commission is making good progress in its investigations. Law enforcement agencies across the world are collaborating with it in tracking and arresting all the wanted persons. The EFCC will not relent in bringing every actor involved in the fraudulent dealings to book,” the statement read in part.

According to Oyewale, the anti-graft agency is “gaining important ground” in the search for the eight persons declared wanted over the CBEX fraud.

Several videos online had shown some Nigerians raising the alarm over the loss of their funds to the CBEX scheme when it reportedly crashed in April.

As part of its investigations into the matter, the EFCC had declared eight persons wanted over their alleged involvement in a fraudulent scheme linked to the online trading platform.

The Federal High Court in Abuja also granted the agency’s request to arrest and detain persons found promoting the CBEX scheme.