The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has formally removed Elie Bitar, a foreign national, from its wanted list in connection with the ongoing investigation into the Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX) fraud scandal.
Bitar was previously declared wanted by the anti-graft agency on April 30, 2025, in a notice that circulated widely across social media platforms, including the EFCC’s now-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter).
The notice had listed Bitar’s last known address in the Lekki Phase 1 area of Lagos State.
However, in a new statement issued on Wednesday, the Commission disclosed that Bitar had been exonerated based on new information.
“Ellie Bitar of CBEX Solutions Ltd., who was earlier declared wanted, has since been removed from the list owing to new information that does not support his inclusion in the wanted person’s list,” the EFCC stated.
The update, signed by EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, emphasized that investigations are ongoing, and the Commission is collaborating with international law enforcement partners to locate and apprehend other individuals linked to the CBEX trading platform fraud.
“The Commission is making significant progress in its investigations, with law enforcement agencies worldwide working together to track and apprehend all the wanted individuals,” Oyewale added.
The CBEX scheme reportedly collapsed in April, sparking outrage among Nigerians who claimed they had lost their savings to the fraudulent platform. In response, the EFCC declared eight individuals wanted for their alleged roles in orchestrating the scheme.
In a related legal development, the Federal High Court in Abuja recently granted the EFCC permission to arrest and detain individuals promoting the CBEX platform, as part of intensified efforts to dismantle the network behind the crypto fraud.
“The EFCC will continue its efforts to bring all those involved in the fraudulent activities to justice,” the Commission assured.
