Lawyer, plumber and then security professional: Inside the elaborate cons of scammers nabbed by the Hawks

Fraud accused pair Frederik Enslin and Stephanie Olivier were arrested by the Hawks in the Western Cape last week.

The pair stand accused of faking a legal practice and fleecing a Canadian mining client of several million of rands, among others.

They appeared in the Olifantshoek Magistrate’s Court last Thursday, and the bail hearing was set for 22 April.

Although fraud and money laundering charges were filed in 2022, the case against Enslin stretches back nearly a decade.

Olivier is facing separate charges of fraud, theft and money laundering in a case linked to fugitive preacher Shepherd Bushiri.

Together, they allegedly created Enslin Olivier Inc, a fake law practice through which clients were allegedly charged for services the pair were not qualified to offer.

‘There was never any coal’

Around 2015, Enslin allegedly posed as a legitimate businessman and engaged in a coal transaction with a Canadian company.

Forensic investigator Chad Thomas of IRS Forensic Investigations said: “There was never any coal, never any deal. It was just Enslin who hoodwinked the company into believing that a large amount of coal was available at a bargain price.”

The matter was pursued civilly and went before the High Court in Pretoria, where the firm was awarded $979 000, (nearly R19 million) in today’s money.

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On the run

After disappearing for a time, Enslin apparently resurfaced in Langebaan on the Cape West Coast, launching a plumbing business called Kakaboy Plumbing.

“Then he reinvented himself as a security professional. Down came the Kakaboy Plumbing signs and up went the security company boards, right next to the police station,” said Thomas.

“It is beyond comprehension that folk in a small town like Langebaan did not find it strange how, in just a few short years, a plumber reinvented himself as a security expert claiming to be an ex-Recce, and then again as one of the world’s foremost legal minds. It actually beggars belief,” Thomas said.

It was his role as legal wrangler that, together with Olivier, became the beginning of the end.

Enslin claimed to hold multiple degrees in law. The security company signs were replaced by his new law firm brand.

According to Thomas, Enslin styled himself as one of the world’s finest litigators, complete with supposed doctorates and other qualifications that did not exist.

Fake courtroom

One of Enslin’s most elaborate legal scams allegedly took shape during the Covid pandemic. He apparently set up a fake courtroom in his office with a legal robe and argued fictitious matters over his webcam for unsuspecting clients.

Thomas, who was on a brief to investigate Enslin, opened a case at Langebaan Saps, which was later transferred to the Western Cape Provincial Commercial Crime Unit.

An advocate in Limpopo also reported the fake practice, and an attorney in Kathu in the Northern Cape opened a further fraud case.

Thomas is presently investigating another qualification-based scam.

Dean Visagie fashioned himself as a misunderstood genius, claiming eight degrees, two doctorates and a decade of service in South Africa’s Special Forces.

None of it was true, said Thomas.

Under the guise of Terra Firma Reverse Technologies, Visagie convinced investors to part with millions by promising a revolutionary method for extracting precious metals from electronic waste.

Some were allegedly persuaded to leave their jobs for employment opportunities abroad that never existed.

Despite painting a grand vision of environmental innovation and financial reward, none of Visagie’s promises materialised.

Victims were left out of pocket while Visagie continued living freely, allegedly in Edenvale, Joburg.

A 2016 conviction for fraud and money laundering marked his record, but he dismissed it as a misunderstanding. Visagie’s promise of an interview amounted to naught.

He wrote: “I am reaching out to you personally, without involving any legal representation, because I believe in transparency and the importance of truth.”

Later in his email, he added, “I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to meet you to share my perspective. While I have experienced threats from other media sources, these situations did not lead anywhere.

“I am convinced that the truth deserves to be heard and understood in its entirety.”

A new criminal case has since been opened against him, and Thomas said the extent of the financial losses victims incurred could be incalculable.

Visagie admitted to fabricating his credentials.

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