Senegal's DIC dismantles illegal Megapari betting platform

The Division des Investigations Criminelles (DIC) in Senegal uncovered a large‑scale illegal online betting operation run through the platform Megapari. The service had no licence, corporate registration, or local bank account, yet it processed more than 7 billion CFA francs via three Senegalese merchant numbers. The scheme falsely claimed a partnership with the national lottery, Lonase, and used Sonatel’s Orange Money service to move funds.

Investigators traced the money to Mali, Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire, where it was converted into cryptocurrencies to obscure its origin. The operation appears to have been coordinated from Russia. A Cameroonian national was detained at Blaise‑Diagne International Airport while attempting to leave the country, and two Senegalese individuals identified as carriers of the merchant numbers were also arrested. The State judicial agent filed a complaint together with Lonase, and Sonatel reported the misuse of its payment service.