The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has officially removed Elie Bitar, a foreign national previously declared wanted in connection with the Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX) fraud, from its wanted list following new developments in the investigation.
The EFCC initially declared Mr. Bitar wanted on April 30 over alleged fraudulent activities linked to the CBEX online trading platform, widely reported to have collapsed in April, leading to significant financial losses for many Nigerians.
In a now-deleted social media post signed by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, Bitar’s last known address was listed as Lekki Phase 1, Lagos State. The post sparked widespread attention as the agency sought cooperation from the public to apprehend the suspect.
However, in a statement issued on Wednesday, the EFCC spokesperson confirmed that Mr. Bitar’s name had been removed from the wanted list. The agency cited the availability of “new information that does not support his inclusion in the wanted person’s list.”
“Ellie 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 person’s list,” the EFCC statement read in part.
The commission further reassured the public that investigations are progressing well. “Law enforcement agencies across the world are collaborating with it in tracking and arresting all the wanted persons. The EFCC will not relent in bringing every actor involved in the fraudulent dealings to book,” the statement added.
Mr. Oyewale also noted that the EFCC is “gaining important ground” in its pursuit of the eight individuals declared wanted in connection with the CBEX fraud.
Videos circulating online have highlighted the distress of Nigerians who lost funds following the collapse of CBEX, which the EFCC has described as a fraudulent scheme. In response, the Federal High Court in Abuja granted the EFCC authority to arrest and detain persons found promoting the CBEX platform.
The EFCC’s ongoing investigations remain active as the agency works with international partners to bring all suspects involved in the scheme to justice.
