Passy Ma Trevor Accused of Siphoning Ksh 350 Million from Kenyans Through Fake Business Investments

Facebook influencer Pascaline Peter, popularly known as Passy Ma Trevor, is at the center of a Ksh 350 million fraud investigation.

This is after being accused of running a Ponzi scheme disguised as a money lending and a real estate business.

Passy first rose to prominence on Facebook after openly sharing her experience living with HIV.

Through her content, Passy built a loyal online community by discussing her health journey, daily life, relationships, and even personal struggles.

Her content approach gave her sympathy and trust from thousands of her followers, many of whom viewed her as a motivational figure and a safe space for conversations around HIV and stigma.

As her influence grew, Passy began introducing business-related content to her audience.

In July 2022, she publicly spoke about getting into a shoo-in money-lending business.

A Shylock operation is an informal lending system that operates outside the regulated financial institutions and is often associated with extremely high interest rates.

On July 23, 2022, she made one of her first Facebook posts about the venture, asking followers about terms and conditions used by other lenders.

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Building On “Lies”

Months later, in November 2022, Passy warned people against relying on shylocks unless it was their last option, even jokingly telling followers, “Avoid me.”

According to online records and testimonies from complainants, the posts appeared to gradually prepare her audience for investment opportunities that were tied to the lending business.

By mid 2023, Passy started publicly celebrating the apparent success of the business.

In one of her Facebook posts shared in May 2023, she claimed she had initially started the business with Ksh200,000 before bringing in an investor who allegedly added another Ksh100,000.

She explained that she would lend out the money on behalf of the investor and pay them returns while keeping a commission for herself.

People Lured Into The Scheme

The posts attracted significant interest from her followers, many of whom began inquiring about the investment opportunities.

Later the same day, she posted again, claiming several people had already invested nearly half a million shillings into the business.

Passy, however, stated that she was not accepting any additional investors at the time because the operation had become difficult to manage on her own.

The DCI now believes those statements may have been part of a classic Ponzi scheme strategy designed to create urgency, exclusivity, and trust among potential investors.

As more people see others apparently receiving returns, confidence in the scheme grows, attracting even more investors.

Police say Passy allegedly used her strong social media influence and carefully curated success stories to convince followers that the businesses were thriving.

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Police Investigation

Police say investors were promised unusually high monthly returns, some reportedly reaching 30%.

As confidence in her grew, Passy expanded into real estate through her company, Pafrim Investments Limited, where she branded herself as a CEO committed to making land affordable for everyone.

She frequently shared promotional videos and testimonies online, claiming that the real estate projects were selling out quickly.

According to detectives, emotional connection, social media influence, visible lifestyle upgrades, and testimonies from the supposed successful investors helped to convince hundreds of Kenyans to send money into the business.

However, investigators say the businesses eventually began collapsing after investors started demanding withdrawals and refunds that could no longer be sustained.

Police say complaints were later filed at different police stations across the country, with victims accusing Passy of disappearing with their money.

Detectives claim more than 200 people may have been affected, with losses estimated at Ksh 350 million.

After reportedly going into hiding for weeks, Passy was finally arrested in Kantafu, Machakos County, during a joint operation conducted by detectives from the DCI.

Passy Arrested

After she was arrested, Passy refused to post bail, citing that she would not be safe out there.

Police, therefore, obtained court orders allowing them to continue holding her as investigations proceed, including tracing bank transactions, freezing accounts linked to the alleged scheme, and recording additional statements from complainants.

Passy remains at Lang’ata Women’s Prison even as investigations into the matter are still ongoing.

Authorities have continued urging Kenyans to exercise caution before investing in businesses promising unusually high returns and to verify investment opportunities before sending money.

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