The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has released a list of people accused of abusing mobile phone services and social media to facilitate and promote illegal foreign currency exchange transactions and money laundering. In a statement, RBZ Governor Dr John Mangudya said:

MEASURES AGAINST INDIVIDUALS ABUSING MOBILE PHONE SERVICES AND SOCIAL MEDIA TO PROMOTE AND FACILITATE ILLEGAL FOREIGN EXCHANGE TRANSACTIONS AND MONEY-LAUNDERING ACTIVITIES

The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has identified individuals listed hereunder who are abusing mobile telecommunications services and other social media platforms to promote and facilitate illegal foreign exchange transactions and money laundering activities.

The FIU has instructed banks, mobile money operators and other financial service providers to identify and freeze any accounts operated by these individuals and, further, to bar them from accessing financial services for a period of two years, with immediate effect.

The FIU has also requested the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) to bar the said individuals from operating mobile phone lines.

The FIU, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, will continue to monitor various social media and bank accounts to identify and take action against perpetrators of illicit dealings. Over and above the corrective measures of barring the delinquent individuals from accessing banking and financial services and operating mobile phone lines, the FIU has forwarded their names and particulars to law enforcement agencies for prosecution.

Members of the public who have information that may assist in identifying more perpetrators are urged to contact the FIU on WhatsApp numbers 0714039897 or 0780434475.