Don Chris scam victims rise to over 350

The number of victims allegedly scammed by Christian Asiimwe aka Don Chris has swelled to more than 350.

Until recently, Chris operated Skypins Tours and Travel, a job placement and external recruitment agency based in Ntinda, Nakawa Division, Kampala. Promising lucrative jobs in Canada and the UK, his operation allegedly duped desperate youths out of a staggering Shs 1.4 billion, up from an initial reported fraud of Shs 600 million.

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango initially pegged the number of complaints at 80, later revising it to 100. However, by mid-July, the ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) reported the number had more than tripled.

“350 Ugandans have flooded our offices, and these people have been complaining about a Ugandan Christian, Asiimwe, aka Don Chris, of Skypins tours and travel company. Don Chris orchestrated a large scam with job promises in the UK and Canada. The total amount involved now is Shs 1.4 billion,” said Simon Peter Mundeyi, MIA spokesperson.

The alleged scam was initially brought to light by Youth and Children Affairs minister, Balaam Barugahara, who instructed the Kampala Metropolitan Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to probe the company after receiving multiple distress calls from victims.

Unlike many outright fraudulent schemes, Skypins had a veneer of legitimacy. The Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC) confirmed that the company had successfully facilitated travel for seven Ugandans to the Netherlands for work. This partial success appears to have served as social proof, fueling trust and attracting more hopeful job-seekers.

Mundeyi said there’s a possibility that Skypins started on a legitimate path. Authorities have since urged him to return and give his side of the story.

“We ask you [Don Chris] to avail yourself, come to the authorities. We all know that sometimes VISAs are problematic. Now we believe we are being unfair, because we haven’t heard your side of the story. We have for sure seen some Ugandans who have gone abroad using Skypins.”

DCIC records show that Don Chris left Uganda on June 20, 2025, via the Malaba border.

But further complicating the scandal are explosive claims made by Don Chris himself. In various interviews posted across social media platforms, he insists that he was merely a “front” for a network of powerful figures, including individuals allegedly connected to the police and the ruling party.

Mundeyi reiterated that no company in Uganda is licensed to process Canadian, UK, or US visas for employment.

“Before you engage a company to take you abroad for a job, please first approach the Ministry of Internal Affairs or the Ministry of gender, Labour and Social Development. Do not be hoodwinked by promises of high-paying jobs,” added Mundeyi.