Fake lawyer nabbed for ‘defrauding’ elderly woman R500K from husband’s estate

Gauteng police have arrested a bogus lawyer accused of defrauding a 70-year-old woman of R500,000 of her late husband’s estate.

The 30-year-old man was arrested in Brackensdown, Johannesburg, following a two-year-investigation by police.

He had operated from an office at Samancor House, 88 Marshall Street, in central Johannesburg.

He was also linked to a similar case where another woman from Diepkloof, Soweto, was also defrauded of more than R500,000 from her late husband estate money.

Gauteng police spokesperson Captain Xoli Mbele said the man had been wanted for two years, since he allegedly defrauded the 70-year-old woman of her late husband’s estate.

“It is alleged that, on 11 August 2018, after the victim’s husband died, the suspect approached her and requested the victim to transfer all documents of her late husband policies and bank balances to an estate account.

“Attempts to contact the suspect from 2018 until 2020 were unsuccessful.

“On 17 June 2020, the victim went to a bank, where it was revealed that more than R500,000 was deposited in her late husband estate account and that the suspect later withdrew the money using an internet transfer,” Mbele said.

“Investigations are underway and we cannot rule out the possibility that the suspect defrauded more than two victims.

“We are appealing to others who are still waiting for estate money from Amasubas Estate Administrators to contact Johannesburg Central police”.

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