Three suspects aged 23 and 40 years old linked to a criminal network that allegedly created fraudulent payslips and proof of payments appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 21 February 2020. They join six others who were arrested early this month on 121 counts including fraud, forgery, uttering, money laundering and gang-related activities.
The arrests emanate from an investigation that began in 2017 by the Free State Serious Corruption Investigation, where the suspects are alleged to have created payslips and proof of employment, and further applied for the financing of luxury vehicles as well as credit facilities.
Once the loans were approved, the suspects allegedly disappeared. They allegedly accumulated over R7 million in their illegal dealings with one of the leading banks in the country. The transactions were facilitated by the bank’s employee, who has since been dismissed.
All nine suspects inclusive of the three were granted R2 000 bail each, with strict bail conditions. They are all expected back at the Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court on 02 March 2020.