Socialite Don Chris Fraud Victims Rise to 655

The number of victims accusing city socialite Asiimwe Christian, alias Don Chris, of defrauding them through a fraudulent overseas labour recruitment scheme has risen from about 350 to 655.

Don Chris, the former director of the now-defunct labour recruitment company Sky Pins Tours and Travel, was arrested on August 28 in Zana, Wakiso District, after more than a year on the run.

He is accused of obtaining money from hundreds of job seekers between 2022 and 2025 by falsely promising to secure them employment abroad in countries including Canada, the United Kingdom, Qatar and Dubai.

The promised jobs included positions as waiters, cleaners and caregivers, among other low-skilled occupations. According to police, more than 655 alleged victims have so far recorded statements with the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID). Each victim reportedly paid between Shs5 million and 10 million Shillings, depending on the job and destination.

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Racheal Kawala said the number of complainants had almost doubled since Don Chris was arrested, rising from about 350 to 655.

She said investigations had been completed and the suspect was expected to appear before the City Hall Court today after the case file was sanctioned by the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on Tuesday evening.

Police estimate that the total amount obtained from the victims exceeds 2 billion Shillings.

The case dates back to June 2025, when police launched a manhunt for Don Chris after at least 85 job seekers petitioned the then Minister for Youth and Children Affairs, Balaam Barugahara. The minister subsequently referred the matter to the CID for investigation.

Investigations at the time established that Sky Pins had extensively advertised its services on television, radio and TikTok, inviting job seekers to its offices at Haruna Mall in Ntinda.The company allegedly promised to facilitate travel on loan, requiring applicants to pay half of the fees upfront. Victims were issued company receipts and assured that they would travel within two to six months. However, none of the applicants reportedly travelled.

Police investigations further established that the company had quietly relocated from Haruna Mall in Ntinda to Kitende along Entebbe Road, where its offices were later found abandoned.

By July 2025, the number of complainants had increased from 85 to more than 350, with preliminary investigations estimating the amount allegedly obtained from victims at between 1.4 billion and 1.75 billion Shillings. Police said Don Chris fled Uganda through the Malaba border on June 20, 2025, as investigations intensified.

Further inquiries established that he had been living in South Africa before quietly returning to Uganda following a surge in xenophobic attacks against other African nationals. Since his return, the suspect is reported to have been hiding in Munyonyo and surrounding areas until his arrest in Zana last week.

With more than 655 complainants now recorded, police are continuing to document victims and establish the full extent of the alleged fraud.