A couple appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court yesterday on charges of fraud, theft, and money laundering involving R1,5 million in an alleged phishing scam.
It is alleged that in August 2018, the couple received an amount of R1,5 million into their joint business account transferred from a motor spares bank account based in the City Deep, Johannesburg.
Police spokesperson Mavela Masondo says further investigation by Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team in Johannesburg revealed that the syndicate reportedly created email phishing scams purporting to be coming from the bank where they requested victims’ one-time-pin for the cellphone banking to actively block notifications.
“The Hawks’ Tactical Operations Management Section (TOMS) successfully traced and apprehended Lungile Fotso (38) and her husband, Jean Lewis Fotso (46) in Protea Glen, Soweto on Sunday, 22 August 2021 and charged with fraud, theft, and money laundering,” said Masondo.
Masondo said the Fotso’s appeared in court yesterday, where Lungile was granted a R3000 bail.
“Jean Lewis was however remanded in custody pending investigation,” said Masondo.
The case was postponed to Friday, 27 August 2021, for a formal bail application and the police are expecting to make more arrests.
