By Ayomide Otitoju
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has officially removed Elie Bitar, a foreign national, from its wanted list in connection with the alleged Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX) investment fraud.
Bitar was initially declared wanted by the EFCC on April 30 over his alleged role in the suspected fraudulent scheme operated through the CBEX online trading platform. His name and photograph were published across the agency’s social media platforms, with his last known address listed as Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.
However, in a statement released on Wednesday, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale confirmed that Bitar’s name had been expunged from the wanted list following the emergence of new exculpatory information.
“Elie 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 persons list,” the statement read.
Oyewale noted that the EFCC is making significant headway in its probe into the CBEX scheme and that international law enforcement agencies are working in collaboration with the Commission to track down remaining suspects.
“The Commission is gaining important ground in the search for the eight persons declared wanted in connection with the CBEX fraud,” he added.
The EFCC had earlier declared eight individuals wanted in relation to the platform, following widespread complaints and online videos from Nigerian investors who claimed to have lost substantial sums of money when the CBEX scheme reportedly collapsed in April.
As part of its ongoing investigations, the Federal High Court in Abuja granted the EFCC authority to arrest and detain individuals found to be promoting the CBEX platform.
The anti-graft agency reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that all perpetrators involved in the scheme are identified and prosecuted.
