Presiding Magistrate, Francis Mapfumo, yesterday heard testimony from local comedian and social media influencer, Mama Vee, real name Admire Mushambi, who admitted to unknowingly promoting and investing in the now-collapsed E-Creator Ponzi scheme.
Mushambi explained that he was approached by a group representing E-Creator while on holiday in South Africa and was offered a role as a brand ambassador—a type of work he’s familiar with through previous endorsements for other companies. Mushambi, known for his comedic roles, presented a sombre figure as he detailed his own significant losses.
“I’m a comedian who does advertising for brands on social media,” he told the court. “I was called by a team from E-Creator. I can’t name a specific person because it was a group, and they wanted me to do a live stream for their brand activation event.”
According to Mushambi, the company capitalized on his public image to win the trust of others. He disclosed that he not only joined the platform himself but also brought others on board, believing it to be a genuine investment opportunity.
“They asked me to bring other influencers and I engaged Madam Boss,” he testified. “I also invited my family members and friends to join the scheme, but we didn’t manage to withdraw our money after the system crashed.”
When asked about the financial loss he incurred, Mushambi revealed that he had lost thousands of dollars. Despite his active involvement in promoting E-Creator, he maintained that he had no direct dealings with the two accused masterminds, Zhao Jiaotong and Billy Thomas Syedou. He said all his interactions were with an anonymous team and not with either man personally.
The State alleges that Jiaotong and Syedou orchestrated the elaborate Ponzi scheme through their company, E-Creator Economic Commerce (Pvt) Limited, which operated from upscale offices at Joina City in central Harare.
Marketed as a legitimate online e-commerce platform, E-Creator promised investors high monthly returns. This drew thousands of Zimbabweans to invest amounts of up to US$1,000 each, primarily via the mobile money platform, Ecocash.
The scheme appeared highly organised, with a wide agent network and the endorsement of popular influencers like Mama Vee and Madam Boss, which helped bolster public confidence.
However, cracks began to show in early July last year when users reported being unable to access their funds. E-Creator initially claimed the disruption was due to a “system upgrade” and assured users that normal services would resume soon.
But on 5 July 2024, the company posted a notice on its website announcing it was ceasing operations. The message was accompanied by a photo of Zhao Jiaotong, who was alleged to have fled to China with the company’s funds.
Panicked investors rushed to the Joina City offices, only to find them permanently closed. The collapse left many facing severe financial losses.
The case continues on 31 October.
