NewStats: 3,265,295 , 8,186,284 topics. Date: Saturday, 14 June 2025 at 10:14 AM 22226x

After FIJ’s Story, EFCC its Wrongly Declaring Lebanese National Elie Bitar Wanted Over CBEX Fraud


The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has removed the name of Elie Bitar, a Lebanese businessman it wrongly declared wanted in connection with an organised cryptocurrency fraud perpetrated by Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX).

FIJ had exclusively reported on May 6 that Bitar had no connection with the CBEX scam.

Bitar was rather the owner of CBEX Solutions Limited, a defunct Lagos-based company, which operated legitimately in Nigeria between 2018 and 2020.

In the report, FIJ showed that the ‘CBEX’ in Bitar’s company name was an acronym of his name and that of Xavier Carbonel, his business partner.

Dele Oyewale, spokesperson for the agency, did not respond when FIJ asked about the EFCC’s decision to declare Bitar wanted.

In an authorless statement posted on its social media handles on Wednesday, the EFCC stated that it had removed Bitar’s name from its list having discovered that he was unrelated to the scheme. The commission conspicuously failed to apologise to Bitar or Nigerians for the error.

“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 his inclusion in the wanted person’s list,” the agency wrote in part.

CBEX: EFCC Intensifies Search for WANTED PERSONS

As part of its ongoing investigations of the alleged monumental fraud involving many actors in the infamous Crypto Bridge Exchange, CBEX, fraud, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is gaining important ground…

“As part of its ongoing investigations of the alleged monumental fraud involving many actors in the infamous Crypto Bridge Exchange, CBEX, fraud, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is gaining important ground in its search for eight wanted persons implicated in the fraud,” the statement read.

“The eight wanted persons are: Seyi Oloyede, Emmanuel Uko, Adefowora Oluwanisola, Adefowora Abiodun Olanipekun, Johnson Okiroh Ofienolu, Israel Mbalika, Joseph Michiro Kabera and Serah Michiro.

“The Commission is making good progress in its investigations. 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.”

Bitar’s company consulted for fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies with evidence of value added tax remittances, certificate of incorporation and verifiable bank statements.

Aside from the defunct company, Bitar owns Smarterise Integrated Solutions Limited, an energy solutions company currently in operation.

His lawyers had written to the commission maintaining his innocence and demanding a public apology and removal of his name from the list of wanted persons.

https://fij.ng/article/after-fijs-story-efcc-its-wrongly-declaring-lebanese-national-elie-bitar-wanted-over-cbex-fraud/

Every agency under Emilokan is a mess..What a disastrous president

Chai! A whole anti-corruption fighting agency of a country. Just imagine this shamelessness and disgrace. Now law suits will follow

Quota system employment
Quota system result

Ok.

Abi brown envelope don from hand to hand.
Inside our corn-tree, nothing person nor go see & hear.

Nawa Nlfpmod, be like dem dey see Pope Leo.

Naija don cast.

Make the guy sue Dem....



Dem think say na how Dem dey treat the Youth wey Dem go jus burst enter dere house for midnight...


Na FiJ help the guy if not Dem for chance the guy..

They’re coming and going in confusion.

If he was Nigerian would they be this quick to it wrongdoing after the reputation damage?

COMRADES are speechless at the activities of these EFCC, could it be that they have been bribed?

Elie Bitar has paid his dues to the EFCC that's why they had to contradict their own statement. Know this and have peace.

This I have seen.

Oh okey, we understand sha👍👍

Naija which way !

If you know you know

Today is ission day
1- JAMB
2- EFCC
3-

so many things are wrong in this country, Nigeria was never meant to exist. the way it started, the way it is going, everything is wrong.

Olode no fit make this kin mistake. Smh

What a joke

shame on this government and their ers

Toh,

Everything is fvckin wrong with this damned hellhole we call Nigeria.

#spits

After collecting their own share

ONE GUY FOR MY AREA HERE STILL DEY ICU BECAUSE OF THIS CBEX FRAUD, HE NEEDS OUR PRAYER!

Mumulity Is Mumulity

Every institution is falling apart under the most incompetent president in the history of Nigeria. Yesterday it was JAMB that didn't understand their software, today it's EFCC arresting someone in error.
Not like Nigeria is in shortage of competent people to transform these institutions but no Tinubu must appease his tribesmen and political stooges over national progress and development

things don exchange hand

Sigh... From JAMB to EFCC.

Mr. President, the gross incompetence of your underlings don dey too much o.

MakindeHassan:
If he was Nigerian would they be this quick to it wrongdoing after the reputation damage?

Where did they even it wrongdoing abeg.

BrickDevo:
so many things are wrong in this country, Nigeria was never meant to exist. the way it started, the way it is going, everything is wrong.

Nigeria was never meant to exist my brother.

ogododo:


https://fij.ng/article/after-fijs-story-efcc-its-wrongly-declaring-lebanese-national-elie-bitar-wanted-over-cbex-fraud/

These guy too dense...do we have any intelligence at all so the dump staff method na to Google search or go cac name checker page and do copy and paste investigation. Nawa oo nobody is save oo u fit get most wanted for crime wey u no even sabi.