The Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) have been granted a preservation order exceeding R2 million in a complex, cross-digital investment fraud scheme.
The order was granted by the Mthatha High Court on Wednesday, 1 April.
The matter stems from a meticulously orchestrated fraud reported in Mqanduli, in which a former police official was allegedly targeted and exploited through an advanced social engineering scheme between 5 and 7 December 2025.
Deception and impersonation
The alleged deception involved the calculated impersonation of billionaire businessman Patrice Motsepe, whose identity was unlawfully used to legitimise a fraudulent online investment presentation shared via Facebook.
Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana said the deliberate misrepresentation reflects a growing trend in which criminals exploit the reputational capital of high-profile figures to build trust and lower victims’ defences.
“The victim was ostensibly persuaded by the perceived authenticity of the investment opportunity, proceeded to engage with a fraudulent registration interface, disclosing critical personal identifiers and financial access points.
“This initial compromise enabled the suspect, posing as a professional investment consultant, to initiate direct engagement and progressively assert control over the victim’s financial decision-making processes. Through psychological manipulation and coercive persuasion, the victim was instructed to install remote access software (AnyDesk), granting the perpetrator unrestricted, real-time control over her banking environment,” Mhlakuvana said.
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Financial breach
The pivotal breach facilitated the consolidation of financial resources into a central account, from which money was systematically siphoned into a network of mule accounts.
In a further escalation of financial exploitation, the victim was manipulated into selling personal assets, including a motor vehicle valued at about R450 000, under the pretext of increasing investment liquidity.
Case docket
Mhlakuvana said the suspect simultaneously opened credit facilities in the victim’s name across multiple financial institutions, deepening the financial harm.
“A case docket was opened, and the investigation ensued. Upon formal reporting, the matter was immediately escalated to the Hawks’ Mthatha Serious Commercial Crime Investigation (SCCI), which, in collaboration with the Priority Crime Specialised Investigation (PCSI), executed a high-level financial investigation characterised [by] urgency and analytical depth.
The cumulative financial prejudice sustained by the victim is estimated at approximately R3 million, reflecting both direct losses and fraudulently incurred liabilities,” Mhlakuvana said.
Interim order
On 17 March 2026, the team successfully secured an interim freezing order, effectively blocking identified financial flows.
“Therefore, securing a substantial portion of the defrauded funds, which amounted to over R2 million, represents a significant containment of financial loss and a critical disruption of the criminal benefit derived from the offence. The investigation continues,” Mhlakuvana said.
The Acting Provincial Head of the Hawks, Brigadier Mluleki Dyasi, indicated that granting the order signifies a tactical disruption of an organised, cyber-enabled criminal enterprise and reinforces the directorate’s evolving strategic posture in combating financially motivated crimes.
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