Fraudster posing as US government official swindles R100,000 from victim
The suspect is alleged to have used Facebook for his scam.
A 29-year-old man who posed as a US government official and swindled almost R100,000 is expected to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court on Monday.
The man who was arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (known as the Hawks) faces charges of fraud and money laundering.
Provincial Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Fikiswa Matoti said the arrest follows an extensive investigation into fraud allegations, including the swindling of R85,800 from an unsuspecting victim in December 2022.
'It is alleged that the complainant was contacted via e-mail by a suspect who introduced himself as a representative of the government of the United States of America. The complainant was promised a Covid-19-related grant on condition that she deposit money into a certain bank account,' Matoti said.
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