Online Reporter
Freeman Razemba
Crime Reporter
INTERPOL London has revealed that Richard Kaye, accused of defrauding the late Zimbabwean diplomat Ambassador Hurudza Punungwe and his wife of US$1,3 million did not operate a legitimate company or bank account in the UK.
The investment scam, stretching back to 2000, involved Kaye who allegedly lured Ambassador Punungwe into investing US$214 233 in Lloyd Morgan Company (LMC).
Kaye, posing as a broker, reportedly acted in collusion with five accomplices—Professor David McKay, Hendrik Vriesen, Erik Bjertnes Jr, Michiel Eyken-Slyuters, and Penny Willis Jones (also known as Penelope Slan Kaye).
The scheme also involved another company, Thomas Barclay Group (TBG), purportedly with based in Belgium and France.
Even after the diplomat had passed on, the deception continued. Kaye issued new share certificates in Mrs Punungwe’s name, but when she sought to redeem the investment in 2009, the funds were never returned.
Zimbabwean authorities, in collaboration with Interpol and other law enforcement agencies, have been relentlessly pursuing Kaye, who remains at large and is believed to be hiding in the UK.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) have enlisted Interpol’s assistance to finally bring Kaye to justice.
Recently, Mr Chris Mutangadura, Head of the Asset and Forfeiture Unit in Zimbabwe’s NPA, submitted a formal request for mutual legal assistance to the UK’s Competent Authority.
In response, Interpol’s National Central Bureau (NCB) in London confirmed that the Lloyd Morgan Group does not exist in the UK, nor could they locate any associated bank details.
They advised that further investigations would require an International Letter of Request sent through judicial channels.
Zimbabwean authorities are now working to provide the necessary documentation.
The case has exposed the intricate web of deception spun by Kaye and his alleged accomplices.
For years, Kaye evaded justice, leveraging international jurisdictions to obscure his tracks.
The Punungwe family’s fight for restitution highlights the enduring impact of such fraud, with significant sums of money disappearing under the guise of investment schemes.
As the investigation intensifies, Kaye’s whereabouts remain unknown.
However, the collaboration between Zimbabwean authorities, Interpol, and law enforcement agencies in the UK signals a renewed determination to track him down and hold him accountable for the financial ruin he caused.
