Cape businessman’s son extorted for R3m by brothel owner – report

A brothel in Cape Town has been exposed as allegedly extorting money from customers by threatening to leak pictures and videos of their encounters with sex workers if they didn’t pay huge amounts of money.

Afrikaans weekly Rapport reported on Sunday that it was aware of the case of one 38-year-old man – apparently the son of one of South Africa’s biggest business owners – who allegedly paid about R2.8 million to keep his secrets about having used the services of a sex worker.

He cannot be named due to the fact that he is the victim of extortion.

The paper reported that he works at a major investment company.

Over a period of two years, he reportedly claims he handed over about R2.8 million in bribe money to buy the silence of alleged brothel madam 45-year-old Shantal Bridger.

Bridger is facing prosecution on charges of extortion, sex trafficking, fraud, money laundering and possession of stolen vehicles.

She allegedly runs several brothels in Bloubergstrand, Table View, Parklands and the West Coast, according to Rapport.

Her victim eventually built up enough courage to report her after he got married in 2014.

Another man, 64, reportedly also laid a charge against Bridger after he was allegedly extorted out of about R100 000 after he ordered various escorts off her website on different occasions and bused them in to where he lives in Namakwaland.

He, however, complained that the women who arrived sometimes did not look like their photos on the website. He apparently used the services more than once, all the same. He warned “other guys like him” against dabbling in the same activities.

The police confirmed to Rapport that Bridger, her business partner and three associates – one alleged sex worker and two bodyguards – were arrested in February after a joint operation.

Neighbours at one of the establishments said they had sometimes seen queues of cars parked at the house in Bloubergstrand, and even the occasional “celebrity” would make an appearance.