A digital scam disguised as a bracelet business has landed a 32-year-old Chinese national, Paheerding Aimaiti, in police custody after duping Zambians out of at least K184,000 through an illegal online platform called JIXW.
Billed as a bracelet manufacturing company and heavily promoted by local celebrities, JIXW operated from January to mid-April 2025, luring unsuspecting users via a flashy mobile app. But behind the glittering beads was an alleged cybercrime operation that used cryptocurrency to funnel Zambian money abroad.
Police arrested Aimaiti on April 16 and seized multiple smartphones, SIM cards, and beaded products linked to the scheme. So far, 36 victims have stepped forward, and the number may grow as investigations continue.
Police assistant public relations officers Godfrey Chilabi has diclosed in a statement that Aimaiti faces charges under the Cyber Crimes Act and the Penal Code for using a computer system to commit offences and obtaining money by false pretences. He’s currently out on police bond and expected to appear in court soon.
Mr Chilabi has since urged anyone affected by the scam to report to the nearest police station as the net around this digital con tightens.
