Twenty-three members of an alleged international scam syndicate who swindled international victims more than R1 billion will remain behind bars until their next court appearance.
The members of the alleged international scam syndicate appeared before the Johannesburg Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday.
Arrest
They are facing charges of contravention of the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act (FAIS Act).
The suspects were arrested on 27 January 2026, in various areas of Gauteng, including Bryanston, Randburg, and Centurion, during a multi-agency operation led by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI).
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said the arrests followed prosecutorially guided investigations involving the Hawks, crime intelligence, the Financial Intelligence Centre, the UK’s National Crime Agency, the US Department of Homeland Security Service, Australian investigation firms IFW and CyberTrace and South Africa’s private investigation company IRS.
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Scams
They are accused of operating call centres that provided financial services despite not being registered as financial advisers or representatives of the Financial Sector Conduct Authority.
The State alleges that more than 40 unsuspecting victims from abroad, including the United States of America, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, were scammed into investing more than R1 billion in what they believed to be legitimate investment opportunities.
Worlds largest
What unfolded on the ground was the final act of an exceptionally complex, largely unseen process that investigators describe as one of the most demanding cybercrime probes they have worked on.
It was one of the largest take-downs of its kind in the world.
The seven locations raided simultaneously included a major call centre operation and the homes of senior members of the syndicate.
Investigation
It is the culmination of a five-year investigation into an Israeli-based syndicate that operates a massive global investment and money-laundering scam across several markets.
During the syndicate’s estimated decade of operations in South Africa, an estimated 20 000 victims of the scam were documented in the United States alone.
‘significant strides’
NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said some of these funds were allegedly used to sustain the operations of the call centres.
“The National Prosecuting Authority, working with its partners, continues to make significant strides in tackling and dismantling organised criminal networks.
“The complex and deeply embedded scourge of organised crime continues to plague the country; however, law enforcement agencies remain equipped and committed to dealing effectively with such crimes,” Mjonondwane said.
The case was postponed to 04 February 2026 for the bail hearing.
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