Two Cameroonian Nationals Nabbed in Elaborate Crypto Scam
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has successfully apprehended two Cameroonian nationals in Clark Freeport for allegedly masterminding a sophisticated robbery-extortion and estafa scheme that defrauded a Korean investor of 731,750 USDT, equivalent to approximately P42,441,500.
International Gold Shipment Scheme Unraveled
According to the NBI Pampanga District Office, the investigation began when a Korean national filed a complaint revealing how the suspects had convinced him of a Gold Transport Operation from Nairobi, Kenya, to Incheon, South Korea. The foreign nationals presented what appeared to be legitimate documentation, including falsified landing permits and air waybills, along with convincing videos and photographs of gold bars.
The victim was told the gold shipment was being held at the Bureau of Customs (BOC) Port of Clark and needed various payments for customs processing, cargo insurance, warehouse charges, and other fabricated expenses. Over time, the suspects escalated their demands, threatening that the gold would not be released unless the complainant paid an additional 1,000,000 USDT (approximately Php58,000,000.00), which they claimed was necessary to bribe the Chief of BOC Clark.
Multi-Agency Entrapment Operation
The NBI-Pampanga launched an immediate investigation in coordination with several agencies including the 301st Counterintelligence Squadron, 301st Special Mission Group, 300th Air Intelligence Security Wing – Philippine Air Force (PAF), and Clark Development Corporation – Public Safety Division (CDC-PSD).
On November 20, 2025, authorities conducted an entrapment operation at a café inside a hotel in Clark. The suspects, identified as Vitalys Awa Njinwa (alias "Johnson Brown") and Pensiga Derick Sama (alias Stephane Andre Obame), were caught red-handed while attempting to collect the 1,000,000 USDT payment. The amount consisted of 25,000 USD in cash and the remaining balance stored in a cryptocurrency cold-storage ledger.
Subsequent verification from the BOC Port of Clark confirmed that the Airway Bill presented by the suspects was fraudulent, with no registration in the Bureau of Customs' Electronic-to-Mobile (E2M) System and no record of arrival at the Port of Clark International Airport.
Legal Proceedings Underway
The arrested Cameroonian nationals have been presented for Inquest proceedings before the Office of the City Prosecutor of Mabalacat City facing charges of robbery (extortion) and swindling (estafa). This case highlights the increasing sophistication of international cryptocurrency scams targeting foreign investors in the Philippines.
The successful operation demonstrates the effectiveness of inter-agency cooperation in combating transnational cyber-financial crimes and serves as a warning to potential victims of similar elaborate investment schemes.
