Seven suspects are expected to appear in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court today on charges of online fraud and money-laundering.
According to a Hawks statement, the arrests follow extensive investigation relating to business e-mail compromise fraud scam allegations, where approximately $500 000 (R8 million) was swindled from a US-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 the seven suspects – four men and three women,” notes the statement.
The suspects, aged between 25 and 42, were detained for questioning and subsequently charged.
Lieutenant general Godfrey Lebeya, national head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, lauded the work of the multi-disciplinary team which led to the arrest of the scam syndicate.
“Organised criminal groups should know that law enforcement agencies are collaborating on an international level to dismantle criminal networks,” he pointed out.
Earlier this month, the Hawks arrested a suspect on charges of SIM swap fraud, which has been on the rise over the last six months.
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