South African reality TV stars Melany “Mel” Viljoen and her husband Petrus “Peet” Jacobus Viljoen, known from The Real Housewives of Pretoria, have pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated grand retail theft in Palm Beach County, Florida, in the United States.
According to court records and updates shared by South African journalist Bianca van Wyk, the couple appeared remotely via Zoom for their 9 April 2026 hearing, during which their attorney entered pleas of not guilty on their behalf.
Details of the charges
The Viljoens face one count each of aggravated grand retail theft (Florida Statute 812.015(9)(a)), involving alleged theft of more than $3 000 (R49 000) worth of groceries from a Publix store in Boca Raton.
Police reports indicate the couple allegedly engaged in a months-long scheme from around August 2025 to March 2026, using “ticket-switching” tactics at self-checkout. This means they were scanning cheaper items or swapping barcodes that resulted in over $5 300 in losses to the business. They were arrested on 10 March 2026.
Melany reportedly told investigators she acted alone out of “survival mode” because visa issues were preventing her from working, while Peet denied any wrongdoing. Conversely, authorities maintained that both participated, alleging that Peet sometimes distracted staff.
Publicly available Palm Beach County court records (via the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s eCaseView system) confirm the charges as aggravated grand retail theft over $3 000.
Current custody status
The Viljoens remain in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)custody in separate facilities in California and Denver as of 10 April 2026, preventing them from posting bond. They made their first court appearance shortly after their arrest and have been held by ICE since mid-March 2026.
What happens next?
Court documents indicate the next key date is a case management hearing around late April 2026 (one report mentioned April 30 as a possible initial case conference). Proceedings continue in Palm Beach County Circuit Court.
If convicted of this third-degree felony, the Viljoens could face up to five years in prison, fines, restitution, and potential deportation consequences given their ICE status. A judge previously ordered them to stay at least 500 feet from all Publix stores.
