August 9, 2019

Dr Charles Kinuthia: The “Pastor” Who Masterminded “Wealth Creation Conference” Scam


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On the morning of Tuesday June 25, thousands of unsuspecting youth descended on Kigali from all corners of Rwanda. Everyone was in high spirit – looking forward to, perhaps, a new life out of poverty.

Some had left their villages the previous day and spent the night with family and friends in Kigali. They had come to attend a “Money, Business and Wealth Conference”.

Some had in previous weeks and days paid between Rwf 4,500 and 23,300 to a phone number as attendance fee. Many others paid Rwf 4,500 cash at the gates of the Radisson Blu Hotel and Kigali International Conference Center.

Like the popular saying goes, the rest is history; but the saga left an entire nation in disbelief as to how such a scam could be pulled, of all places, at Rwanda’s leading hotel!

In the last 25 years, it is only President Paul Kagame who has brought such a large number of youth to the capital at the same time and venue. Until Dr Charles Kinuthia surfaced.

On Monday July 15 – more than 20 days later, Dr Kinuthia, two other female suspects and a Rwandan male were refused bail by the Kagarama Primary Court.

The state charged them with fraud, holding illegal gathering and a host of other cases.

The Chronicles has since been digging up for details to fill up the many gaps around this scam. So many questions have remained unanswered, until now.

We have information from his family, his numerous “ex-wives” in the United States, and Americans he allegedly scammed of tens of thousands of dollars. Some of them contacted us, and in turn aided us to find other sources. For others, we contacted them after they had posted comments on the stories on The Chronicles site about the scam in Rwanda.

The Chronicles has also established that Dr Kinuthia is an associate of Dr Clyde Rivers, President of ‘I Change Nations‘, which brands itself as a global humanitarian and business development entity. Dr Rivers is Honorary Ambassador at Large for the Republic of Burundi.

He has that role “as appointed by H.E. President Pierre Nkurunziza and Special Advisor to President Pierre Nkurunziza, President of Republic of Burundi Africa”, according to his website.

READ: “Wealth Conference” Turns Sour In Kigali as Thousands Are Conned In Broad Day Light

READ: “Wealth Conference” Saga: 13 Rwandans Freed, 3 Kenyans Charged

Here are shocking details we have established about Dr Charles Kinuthia, whose Rwanda posters read “Dr CK Charles”.

Is he a Kenyan as has been reported?

According to three sources, interviewed separately, Dr Kinuthia was born in Kenya on 01/01/1983, making him 36 years now. At the age of 16, he left for Australia, then Finland, and arrived in the US State of Texas in 2006.

On his LinkedIn page, Dr Kinuthia writes that he arrived in Texas from Australia. This is false, according to our sources, who suspect he could be hiding something that happened in Finland. As to why he left Kenya, the details given to us are shocking, we have opted to leave them out.

In 2016, ten years after arriving in the US, Dr Kinuthia managed to obtain US citizenship with the help of one of his “ex-wives” who is American. The Chronicles agreed NOT to name them so they could speak freely.

Family and kids?

Both Dr Kinuthia’s parents live in the US. He is the last born, with a sister and a brother who is an evangelical pastor. All of them live in the US.

Dr Kinuthia does not have any children. Even from his marriages, he did not have children.

One of the ex-wives told The Chronicles: “I do not have children with him THANK GOD, no child deserves someone like that”

Does he hold a PhD?

The short and always elegantly smart Kinuthia addresses himself on all platforms (web and speeches) as “Dr Charles Kinuthia”, and in other places simply as “Dr CK Charles”. One would expect him to be a proud holder of the highest academic honors: PhD, or a medical degree.

However, according to multiple sources, the story is entirely different. Charles Kinuthia attended a community college in Texas but dropped out permanently.

As for the title “Dr”, it is allegedly a honorary title he obtained from a program conducted by “I Change Nations” led by Dr Clyde Rivers.

“Clyde has a program where his closest confidantes are awarded with such honorary titles of doctor. Those titles overtime do stick yet they are a sham,” said one of our sources.

Here is picture of when Dr Clyde Rivers (R) awarded Charles Kinuthia the honorary title of “Dr”

Kinuthia Targets Black Women

The Chronicles has established that Kinuthia has dated several women over the years, but officially three of them. We have decided not to publish their names. What is common with all of them is that they are black women, and all have filed court cases accusing him of defrauding them of money.

We asked them why he has been targeting only black women:

One of them told us: “Why would he target white women? It’s easier to con your own people, that’s why he was successful in your country.” (Referring to the Rwanda scam).

Another retorted: “We are not rich women. I believe me and the other women, who I know, are very smart women with successful businesses. Above all, we are beautiful. These are characters that will attract any man.”

Since 2017, up until he was arrested in Rwanda, he was living with another woman in Texas. However, The Chronicles was unable to contact her due to failure to obtain her contacts.

How did he end up in Rwanda?

The Chronicles has yet to establish the exact dates when Charles Kinuthia arrived in Rwanda for the “Money, Business and Wealth Conference” that was scheduled for June 25. However, what we have been able to establish is that last year, Kinuthia accompanied Dr Clyde Rivers to Burundi. The delegation spent some time there as guests of the state since Dr Clyde is President Pierre Nkurunziza’s ambassador-at-large.

In addition, the multiple sources who spoke to The Chronicles confirmed that Kinuthia has been to very many countries. “As result of that, he gets very high discounts on travel which allows him to travel very cheaply. He has been to Nigeria, Kenya and many others to do scams,” said the source.

Another source added: “My instinct tells me he must have developed the Rwanda project from Burundi. I seriously suspect he has people in Rwanda who helped him fix that scam. I don’t think he would have been able to pull it off without powerful help.”

How much has he defrauded from unsuspecting victims?

Charles Kinuthia is a wanted man! In Texas alone, back in 2017, he launched a tax franchise called ‘One Stop Tax’, in which people gave him money for which he promised big returns on investment.

According to one of the people who lost money, there were two options: $25,000 for a “location” and $15,000 if the client needed a “kiosk”.

Kinuthia promised that for those paying $25,000, their money would accumulate to $100,000 by year-end.

“About 20 people failed in this [tax franchise business],” according to this source.

However, we have been told by the women he married that this tax franchise was just one of the many scams he pulled off. It therefore suggests that Kinuthia was able to live on such money from the successful scams.

Kinuthia has also managed to convince some churches in Texas to invite him as a pastor. He also did conduct a “pastoral trip” to Nigeria in 2017. As a good orator, Kinuthia ably wooed his audiences to cover expenses.

Will he return to the U.S?

At the moment, two of his former wives have filed cases against him. By the time he came to Rwanda, the authorities in Texas were already looking for him. One women said: “The people handling my case went to his office in June and found no one there. Then a couple of weeks later, I read your news that he was arrested in Rwanda.”

How did he become such “good salesman” with limited education?

As detailed above, Charles Kinuthia has no known formal education. So how has he been able to develop such a smart mind. All the people we spoke to agreed that Kinuthia is extremely intelligent.

One of his ex-wives told us that Charles developed that sharp business mind while in Australia where he also sold newspapers. She described him as “very, very good salesman. He can sell you a glass of water telling you its juice and you will drink it convinced its juice. It’s strange that he is a very talented salesman yet that skill has not given him anything. He is a very poor guy now. He drives a very old car. He still lives in an apartment in a rundown neighbourhood. He doesn’t have his own house.”

She added: “People will wonder how he is celebrated in other places and deliver the messages as he does. Charles reads a lot of books, a lot of books! He is a reader for sure! And he is very dedicated to whatever he wants to do. This is a person who wakes like 4:30am in the morning – reading and writing. You know what I mean. So even though being successful in life, he is not there and doesn’t have anything to show for it, he still has so much knowledge in him….”

Another of the ex-wives said: “He is a very smart individual and could have used his talents for good. Funny enough, he and I met in church and he was the keyboard player and worship leader so it’s hard to distrust someone like that.”

Aren’t these women accusing him because they are bitter?

When we posed this question, one of them responded this way: “My life has moved on and I’m happily re-married and changing the lives of other women around me and globally. In life we all learn lessons. I don’t wish Charles Kinuthia ill but at some point the scamming must stop. I don’t want to be associated with him in any way or have my business dragged through the mud. He made his own bed.”

Charles Kinuthia

Another one said: “Oh no! I have healed. I’ve gone through so much….I have moved on. I have my own man…However, am sharing this information because I believe somebody else out there needs to know who this person really is. He has messed so many people’s lives and he continues to do so. [Rwanda scam] is not the first time Charles has gone around lying to people, giving people false information. I have seen it. I called him out on it. So really am not coming from a bitter place, but a place where am like ‘if there is anything I can do to teach this man to respect people and their money, be nice, humble himself, become a better man…That’s what am all about.”

As the situations stands now, Charles Kinuthia and the three co-accused are awaiting the start of their trial in a week or two.

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3,356 Comments

  1. I’m among those he scammed in the franchise business. He really knows how to manipulate and lie to people. I wish i had followed my own instincts from all the stories I had already heard about him. It’s a crazy world full of so many evil people. They can easily take the little you have saved through all your life without any form of remorse. Being a person from church background and all that makes it even worse. Not everyone who comes in the name of God is sent by God. some are sent by the devil. I honestly believe he works for satan. He is not a honest person at all. His looks and charm are so deceiving. I hope he stays in jail.

  2. It sounds like he is such a selfish guy. Sad to see other people suffer because of him. They should release them and leave the dude in jail. I believe none of them knew this person well. They might have been lied too. The love of money is the root of all evil.

  3. This is serious news. I guarantee you this scam bag is a narcissist. This level of conning is not for the kids. Only con artists can pull this off. We don’t need such people in our streets. Wipe them all out.

  4. This is bad. I thought my friend won a jackpot by getting married to this man woye😥😥😥😥😥😥😥😥😥

  5. Charlie is a serial cheater. As far as i know he has cheated on all his women, girlfriends and wives. Even his family knows about it but it seems like everyone is minding their own businesses and try to protect him that’s why he’s at the level he’s at. Wacha dunia imfunze kidogo.

  6. He cheats mercilessly and he is very careless. He doesn’t use protection. He promised me life only to secrew me over an akata who in return used him and dumped him. It’s not a shock that he has multiple ex-wives. Third wife will join the rest soon. Over 10 years later, he still hasn’t changed. This man should just stay single rather than using, playing and risking people’s lives.

  7. Ati he never finished college? So he’s a drop out? The way he prides himself with the “Dr” title woyi!🙀🙈

  8. Are side pieces allowed to say something? I’m not proud of what i did but I had a few encounters with him when he was married to his first wife. As smart as he appears to be, deep inside he has very low selfesteem and that’s why he jumps from one woman to another. He’s constantly chasing women to validate him and he always targets women who are taken especially married women. In Texas alone this man has slept with over 22 women that i know of. I wish we all knew each other and have a reunion to share our experiences about him😇

  9. “Woe to the wicked! It will go badly with him, For what he deserves will be done to him.” God doesn’t go easy on the wicked. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

  10. The way some things are twisted in this article isn’t funny at all. If you gonna quote someone, make sure you’re quoting exactly what they said and not twist things to meet your own agenda. No need to sugarcoat things trying to make them worse than they already are.

  11. Truth be told this dude is scam regardless of the miscommunication that happened in Rwanda. You can tell a man’s character by the way he treats the women in his life. It’s clear this dude is bad news. He left his first wife with nothing, second wife same thing and who knows how the third wife is being treated? If we dig deeper, we might find more shocking stories about him.

  12. So, let me get this straight, he got divorced from his first wife in 2015 because he cheated on her. He remarried to his second wife in 2016 and got divorced in 2017 because he cheated on her too. He remarried for the 3rd time to his third wife in 2018 and he is cheating on her too. He has had 3 wives within 3 years and cheated on all of them. It’s clear this fellow has a serious problem. He should be released for further check up.

  13. This is the lowest form of investigative journalism……. the thread of facts is poor, objective verification and cross-checks are missing to mention but a few. The facts of his arrest, the charges, the reason for Rwandese arrested alongside him were set free…. Further, all the quotations from reliable sources should bare the name unless they are witnesses against him and have expressed fear that he would potentially harm them. Finally, the details of his qualifications or the lack of them has not been properly documented in this article. For credibility, there is need to get confirmation from the respective universities and education institutions he claims to have attended. This sounds more like a detractors piece or a mouthpiece of poor investigators… Kindly add detailed and objective data to the piece and let us the readers make our judgment…. and for crying out loud, improve on the grammar, avoid mixing tenses

  14. Psalms 94:23
    Moderator, can you add the volume please. Everybody should be reminded of this.
    “He will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness; the LORD our God will destroy them.” His 40 days were up.

  15. What a sad story woyi😥. So when he gets back to the US there’re more cases waiting for him? Lord have mercy on him. I hope he doesn’t end up in jail there too. Karma is a bitch and it stings so bad.

  16. Just because someone has a gift in something, doesn’t mean they’re perfect people or they have it together. It’s clear this boy child has a gift in teaching people about business even though the article states he is poor and has nothing to show for. He can never be rich or successful if all he does is sleeping around with women, using them for his own benefits then leave them. God doesn’t like ugly. He is reaping what he sow.

  17. I will save my comment for a later time but Charles deserves everything that’s happening to him. He is a heartless man, liar and a cheater. He’s just a good speaker that’s all. I witnessed how he mistreated his 2nd wife not even long from the time she lost a baby. It’s my believe that those who defend him, don’t know him at all. No matter what happened in your country, Charles is not a good person at all. I have worked for him and i have my fair share of his ugly side. He doesn’t practice what he preaches.

  18. Nothing new here. He’s a serial cheater and everyone close to him knows that. All these women complaining knew who he was before they got involved with him. The most stupid is the the third wife. If you know history has been repeating itself what makes you think you’re different? You should all blame yourselves for being stupid enough to fall for him.

  19. Wanawake wajinga sana hawa. Kijamaa kifupi kama nyundo kinawaharibia maisha tu na wao wapo tu. Hakuna huruma hapa. Muache ujinga na mjifunze kuwa makini.

  20. Child, by the time the dude is out of jail his yellow teeth would have turned orange. His dentist is going to make some good 🤑

  21. Ex-wives, girlfriends and side pieces, who is hosting the party? God heard your prayers now it’s time for Thanksgiving😹🥳😇💃🎈👌

  22. This chameleon has multiple faces that he proudly displays to people and each face is more deceitful than the other that’s why he wasn’t caught early enough.
    With his low selfesteem he exaggerates everything about his life, money, wealth, power and education. His actual level of achievement is not in accord with his fantasy. His franchise business died two years ago and he doesn’t own any software company or anything of that nature. All he has is two tax offices of which he is always behind in paying rent.
    He’s so full of pride and arrogance to the point where he can’t even receive any form of constructive criticism. He walks around feeling like the world owes him everything and everyone should bow down to him.
    He’s a lover of money, power and titles only. Money represents that love he’s constantly seeking to fill his emptiness. He betrays and uses people including his own family, friends and the women he dates. The only people he fakes caring for are those who stroke his ego. These are the people he gives that half-assed smile, buys them gifts, gives them money and tries to make them feel extra special and important than they really are.
    He is a master in using character assasination to undermine anyone who threatens his fragile ego. He will defame that person with lies and accusations without any form of remorse.
    He has the ability to provoke others into reacting emotionally (gaslighting) which will make them look unstable. That’s how he covertly abuses his victims – by making them look like they are the abusers and not the victims. In the labyrinth of his manipulation, mind-games, and lies the only winner is him and the victims who are actually able to leave his narcissist ass behind and move on with their lives.
    What has happened is exactly what he needed in order to pump his brakes for a minute and realize how reckless he has been with people’s money and lives in general. He’s reaping what he sow. May this be a lesson to everyone reading this. Remember to treat others the way you would want to be treated. Don’t wait for karma to do it’s dirty work😆. We thank God for justice for it is served, extra hot and spicy😋.
    Glory to God!🙏

  23. I wonder where the Kinuthias are hiding their faces. You can’t be busy preaching to people on how to live right while your own brother/son is busy devouring people’s wives, and conning people left and right. Shouldn’t we start with our own families? No wonder that church never grows.

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