GAUTENG – The National Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Lieutenant General (Dr/Adv) Godfrey Lebeya commended the work of the multi-disciplinary team which led to the arrest of an alleged online scam syndicate. “Organised Criminal groups should know that law enforcement agencies are collaborating on an international level to dismantle criminal networks”, he added.
Seven suspects are expected to appear in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Friday the 01 April 2022 on charges of fraud and money laundering.
The suspects’ apprehension emanates from an extensive investigation relating to business email compromise fraud scam allegations where approximately 500 000 USD (R8million) was swindled from a United States of America based entity in April 2020 and thereafter transferred into different South African bank accounts.
In the early hours of 31 March 2022, a multi-disciplinary approach driven operation that was simultaneously coordinated at several premises around Johannesburg by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation in Johannesburg and Tactical Operations Management Section resulted in the arrest of seven suspects, four men and three women.
The suspects aged between 25 and 42 were detained for questioning and subsequently charged.
South African Police Service