Asanda Dwesini (39), Nomphelo Fetman (32), and Shan Gabrelle Lewis (47) appeared briefly in the Muizenberg Magistrate Court yesterday, 19 March 2026, in connection with a R14 million romance fraud and money laundering scheme.
The trio was arrested by the Bellville Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team, together with the National Intervention Unit (NIU), for allegedly exploiting an elderly woman between 2017 and 2018.
The scheme reportedly involved creating a fake profile on a dating website to manipulate the victim into giving money.
“The alleged lover lured the victim by using flirtatious language making her believe that they are in a genuine relationship,” authorities said.
“Once trust was established he would ask for money, inventing reasons such as failed trips or urgent fines. The victim transferred money into various bank accounts shared by the alleged lover,” they added.
“The fraudsters gained the victim’s trust and built a relationship with her. He made everything about the romance feel normal, but his aim was to extort her.”
Major General Mathipa Makgato, Western Cape Provincial Head of the Hawks, urged the public to exercise caution.
“If not certain you must not do so. It is okay to reject or ignore any requests. Criminals will often try to rush or make you panic. If you believe you have fallen for a scam, you should contact your bank immediately and report it to the nearest authorities,” he said.
The case has been remanded to 26 March 2026 for bail information, and all three suspects remain in custody.