U.S. Providing Cover For Detained Worldcoin Executives?
• September 19, 2023 12:42 pm • CommentsKenyan lawmakers are lodging some pretty serious claims.
According to Kenyan authorities, U.S. officials stepped in to secure the release of several Worldcoin executives arrested by the Kenyan port authority.
Worldcoin’s CEO, Alex Blania, and the project’s Chief Legal Counsel were both arrested inside a Kenyan airport upon attempting to leave the country.
Both the executives and others who were detained were then released upon request from U.S. officials, and now many are speculating whether or not the project will be allowed to continue in Kenya.
Cryptoforce India previously reported:
“The Kenyan government has taken a stringent stance against #Worldcoin and its local affiliates, a position supported by a Kenyan court. The investigating committee, chaired by Narok West legislator Gabriel Tongoyo, will also hear from those who failed to #cash out their #tokens.
Tongoyo stated that Solicitor General Shadrack Mose and Data Commissioner Immaculate Kassait are also expected to testify before the committee. The appearance aims to address various issues surrounding Worldcoin’s #crypto project in Kenya.”
#CryptoNews: Worldcoin Executives to Appear Before Kenyan Parliamentary Committee Amid Growing Interest#Worldcoin executives are set to appear before a Kenyan parliamentary committee on September 4, following the suspension of the project's activities in the country. The…
— Cryptoforce India (@cryptoforce_in) September 4, 2023
Kenyan MP Josses Lelmengit questioned Eliud Owalo at a recent parliamentary hearing discussing the security threats posed by the Worldcoin project and its collection of biometric data.
Participated in the Ad-hoc committee inquiry on Worldcoin's activities in Kenya, as we questioned ICT CS Eliud Owalo about the Ministry's awareness of these activities and the lack of legal frameworks. pic.twitter.com/fDkvFeQrw3
— Josses Lelmengit (@Josseslelmengit) September 11, 2023
Nation, a national Kenyan news outlet, broke the story:
Prof Kindiki told the committee that the government recovered orbs and other electronic gadgets used for collecting iris data. The gadgets, he said, have been submitted to the Communications Authority and the cyber forensic laboratory for analysis.
“This will enable the investigators to ascertain the exact number of people in Kenya who were signed up and their sensitive personal data collected as well as the capability of the apparatus, possible health implications and whether they were authorised for use in the country,” the CS said.
According to Bitcoin News: “The CEO also rejected claims that Worldcoin intends to sell users’ biometric data obtained via its eyeball-scanning orbs.”
The CEO also rejected claims that Worldcoin intends to sell users’ biometric data obtained via its eyeball-scanning orbs. #cryptocurrency #cryptoafrica https://t.co/rQI85hANZ6
— Bitcoin News (@BTCTN) September 16, 2023
Recently, Benjamin Fernandes provided this video of OpenAI’s Sam Altman meeting with the Kenyan President—could this mean the relationship between Worldcoin and Kenya is improving?
Sam Altman (founder of WorldCoin and OpenAI) meeting President Ruto of Kenya.
Does this mean WorldCoin is coming back to Kenya 👀 pic.twitter.com/rcKfz454XH
— Benjamin Fernandes 🇹🇿 (@Benji_Fernandes) September 15, 2023
Protos had more on claims that the U.S. intervened in the Worldcoin arrests:
“They tried to leave the country but were stopped and put in custody. However, the US government intervened, saying they should be allowed to leave because they haven’t yet been found guilty of committing a crime and gave an undertaking that it will produce them when required,” Kindiki said.
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