Three suspects appeared at the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday for fraud and money laundering charges related to an online dating scam.
Gauteng Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Thatohatsi Mavimbela said Elijah Nweze (27), Nomathamsanqa Thabisa Asunha (49), and Cumisa Penelope Dyasoni (28) were in the dock after they were arrested last Thursday in Park View, Cape Town.
They were nabbed by members of the serious commercial crime investigation unit based in Pretoria.
Mavimbela stated that Nweze, Asunha, and Dyasoni purportedly extracted approximately R900 000 from their victim via an online dating scam.
“The arrest is as a result of a complaint received from a complainant alleging that she connected with a white male by the name of Ricardo Taylor, who works at an oil refinery company in Cape Town and is originally from the United States of America, on a dating site called Singles 60,” said Mavimbela.
Suspects remain in custody
“The pair began dating online, and Ricardo Taylor began extorting money from the victim for different reasons, including booking accommodation for the pair where they would meet and hiring a Ferrari and a helicopter for their holiday, as well as for purchasing computer software, resulting in the complainant suffering an actual loss of R900 000 which was paid by the victim into different bank accounts.”
Mavimbela said after the three suspects appeared at the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday, their case was postponed to Friday for bail information.
Mavimbela said the three suspects, Nweze, Asunha and Dyasoni, remain in police custody.
He said Gauteng acting provincial head of the Hawks, Brigadier Paulina Sekgobela, welcomed the arrests.
“The acting provincial head of the Hawks in Gauteng, Brigadier Paulina Sekgobela, has commended the investigating team for apprehending the suspects and has cautioned members of the public from being used as accessories in criminal activities,” said Mavimbela.
