A fraudulent contractor deceived an elderly individual into providing over R500,000, purportedly for his “brother’s wedding,” his “daughter’s operation,” and his “tax debt.”
The Hawks’ Gqeberha serious commercial crime investigation unit, with support from their counterparts in Bellville, Cape Town, has apprehended a second suspect linked to the scheme.
The Gqeberha based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation of the Hawks with the assistance of Bellville Serious Commercial Crime Investigation of the Hawks arrested Thembeka Bendon (47) for allegations of fraud. Bendon is the second accused to be arrested after the arrest of Thina Mpuhlu (42) who was arrested on 26 October 2023 for the same charge and was released on R2000.00 bail and is currently attending court.
“It is alleged that on 16 March 2014, the complainant who is a pensioner met someone who called himself Mario Bertolini on a dating site.It is further reported that after a month of getting to know each other via cell phone calls, messages and e-mails, Bertolini invited the complainant to his brother’s wedding in Rome, Italy however the complainant could not receive the VISA as it was short notice.,” said Hawks spokesperson Capt Yolisa Mgolodela.
Bertonili is further reported to have informed the complainant that he was responsible for funding his brother’s wedding since their parents were deceased and he was the only sibling to the bridegroom. The dating partner also allegedly informed the complainant that he would come back to South Africa in 5 days as he had to finish a building contract in Mosselbay thus giving an impression of having a strong financial muscle hence the building of trust by the complainant.
The complainant reported that Bertonili informed her that his South African bank account was frozen and therefore asked for assistance from his dating partner to rescue him by depositing for him in the provided bank account more than R151.00 for the wedding of his brother, more than R154 000 for his daughter’s operation and R220 000 for his debt with SARS for which his date complied as she was made to believe that her dating partner had the financial muscle to pay back more than R505 000 that was due to her.
It is further reported that after these transaction Bertonili disappeared onto thin air and the matter was reported to the Hawks that engaged in an intensive investigation that revealed that Bertonili was a fictitious name used by the two apprehended suspects .
Bendon made a short appearance in Cape Town Magistrates’ Court on 31 January 2024 and is in transit to the Eastern Cape to re-appear in Gqeberha Magistrate’s court on 2 February 2024.
The investigating team is commended by the Provincial Head Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya for putting the puzzles together and arrest the alleged scammers who are using the social media for foul play.
