A 26-year-old Kenyan has revealed how desperate job seekers are falling prey to human traffickers posing as recruitment agents, luring them into modern-day slavery abroad.
The young man, identified as Okindo, shared that he was promised a lucrative customer service job in Asia earlier this year. To secure the opportunity, he sold personal belongings and paid Ksh200,000 to a supposed agency. Convinced his life was about to change, he left for Thailand.
But the moment he landed in Bangkok, the dream collapsed. Together with six other Kenyans, he was bundled into a van, stripped of his passport, and ferried across a river into Myanmar.
Instead of employment, Okindo found himself trapped in a heavily guarded compound run by a criminal syndicate. His new “job” was to pose as a wealthy investor and lure unsuspecting victims abroad—mainly in the U.S.—into cryptocurrency scams.to read more click here
“I was forced to send thousands of scam messages daily. If I failed to meet targets, I was beaten, denied food, or locked in freezing rooms. Others were tortured with electric shocks,” he recalled, describing the ordeal as “hell on Earth.”
Okindo’s nightmare ended in April 2025 when a multi-country rescue mission freed him and others from the notorious camp. But the physical and psychological scars remain.
Human rights groups say his case is part of a growing crisis. Since Myanmar’s military coup in 2021, cyber-slavery centres have multiplied near the Thai border. UN reports estimate that more than 120,000 victims are trapped in such compounds, forced to defraud strangers online under threats of violence.
Back home, the long queues of young Kenyans at recruitment drives highlight just how vulnerable many remain. The promise of a better life abroad continues to blind job seekers to the dangers hidden behind flashy adverts and smooth-talking agents.
Okindo now hopes his story will serve as a warning.
“I only wanted to support my family. Instead, I almost lost my life. I don’t want any other young Kenyan to go through what I went through,” he said.to read more click here
