Islamabad – The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has begun returning billions of rupees looted in the B4U Ponzi scheme, marking a significant victory for scam victims who had long awaited justice.
At a ceremony held at NAB headquarters in Islamabad, cheques worth Rs. 3.7 billion were handed over to 17,500 victims of the multi-billion rupee fraud. The B4U scam, orchestrated by Saif-ur-Rehman and his associates, promised investors a monthly return of 7% before collapsing and exposing itself as one of Pakistan’s largest online Ponzi schemes.
Following mounting complaints, NAB opened an inquiry in 2021. Investigators tracked 56 bank accounts, seized assets, and verified thousands of claims using online data. Through its efforts, NAB initiated recoveries of Rs. 7.3 billion, with the first installment now being distributed.
Out of the total beneficiaries, 10,000 victims will get back their entire invested amounts, while 7,500 others are receiving 40% compensation in this phase. The remaining 60% will be paid after the liquidation of assets belonging to the accused.
Addressing the gathering, NAB Chairman Lt. Gen. (R) Nazir Ahmed emphasized that the bureau’s top priority is to recover looted public money and return it as swiftly as possible. He also cautioned citizens to verify investment schemes carefully before trusting them with their savings.
Highlighting reforms, the Chairman announced that future disbursements will be transferred directly to victims’ bank accounts, removing the need for physical visits to NAB offices. As recognition for the efforts of NAB Rawalpindi/Islamabad officers, he announced an Umrah package for the entire team.
Grateful beneficiaries praised NAB’s recovery efforts, saying they had regained hope after years of despair. The event was attended by senior NAB officials, Prosecutor General Accountability Syed Ihtesham Qadir Shah, DG NAB Waqar Ahmed Chohan, and a large number of scam affectees.