Kenyan comedian Eric LuSavali has shared a painful experience of how he was swindled out of Sh17 million while attempting to purchase property in Nairobi.
Speaking on a podcast, LuSavali recounted how he was lured into a complex real estate scam that ultimately led to his financial devastation.
LuSavali’s journey began when he spotted a seemingly perfect property in Riverside, Nairobi.
According to him, the property, owned by an elderly Kikuyu couple, appeared to be a dream investment.
He added that the couple claimed that their children had relocated abroad and were eager to sell the property and had set a price that he felt was reasonable.
After initial meetings and verification steps, including a land search with a lawyer, LuSavali decided to proceed with the purchase.
Despite the couple’s reassurances, warning signs began to emerge as the process continued.
LuSavali, who had already wired a substantial sum of money, was informed by the sellers that another buyer was interested in the property.
Desperate not to lose the deal, LuSavali scrambled to gather more funds and sent an additional Sh17 million to secure the sale.
“My bank is giving me issues because they’re like we can’t wire this much money without you getting approval from CBK… I have to basically wire the money from the UK.”
After finally sending the con artists Sh17 million, things started to go wrong.
He arrived at the property only to find an unexpected tenant living there. Upon confronting the tenant, he was told that the property was not for sale and had not been sold at all.
His worst fears were confirmed when he discovered that the property and the elderly couple who had seemed trustworthy were part of an elaborate scam.
“I just felt like this immense heat all over my body… I just… I was just depressed.”
A devastated LuSavali attempted to contact his lawyer and the sellers, but both failed to respond.
Despite his best efforts, he realised that he had been duped by fraudulent lawyers and a team of con artists who were intricately involved in the scam.
As he sought help, he was unable to recover his lost funds, and the perpetrators vanished without a trace.
LuSavali described the emotional toll the scam took on him, admitting that it left him feeling physically unwell and mentally exhausted.
His recovery, he shared, was only possible through the support of his then-girlfriend, who encouraged him to move forward and not let the setback define him.