Hawks Arrest 42-Year-Old Woman In Connection With Major Coltan Scam

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, commonly known as the Hawks, has announced the arrest of 42-year-old Georgie Maureen Da Lanca in connection with an alleged fraudulent coltan scam.

Da Lanca, who is also known by the alias “Lisa,” made her first appearance before the Johannesburg Specialized Commercial Crime Court, sitting at Palm Ridge, on Wednesday.

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The court case has been postponed to March 19, 2025, for a formal bail application.

According to the Hawks, Da Lanca was apprehended after a comprehensive investigation into a case that was originally registered at Sandton police station in November 2022.

She faces charges of fraud and money laundering, in relation to a scam that defrauded a complainant of R250,000.

The investigation revealed that Da Lanca was a key player in a coltan syndicate operating across Johannesburg, responsible for swindling numerous victims out of large sums of money.

Details Of Coltan Scam And Investigation

The scam involved a fraudulent coltan deal, where the complainant was lured into paying R250,000 under the pretense of obtaining a cross-border certificate and activating a code.

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The scam involved a fraudulent coltan deal, where the complainant was lured into paying R250,000 under the pretense of obtaining a cross-border certificate and activating a code.

Hawks Arrest 42-Year-Old Woman In Connection With Major Coltan Scam-Code

After making the payment, the victim began noticing discrepancies, leading them to uncover that they had been scammed.

The Hawks’ investigation revealed that the R250,000 deposited into an FNB account was later dispersed across three different accounts.

One of those accounts was found to belong to Da Lanca.

Further inquiries into the operation uncovered that Da Lanca was a central figure in a broader coltan syndicate.

The scam is believed to have affected multiple victims across Johannesburg, raising concerns about the widespread nature of the operation.

Da Lanca’s co-accused, Tony Bradley, was arrested in November 2022 and is currently out on R5,000 bail.

The investigation into the syndicate is ongoing, with three additional warrants of arrest pending as part of the broader effort to dismantle the network behind these fraudulent schemes.

Hawks Tackling Organised Crime

Warrant Officer Thatohatsi Mavimbela, the Gauteng spokesperson for the Hawks, highlighted that Da Lanca’s arrest demonstrates the elite crime-fighting unit’s commitment to disrupting sophisticated fraud syndicates operating in South Africa.

“The operation which led to Da Lanca’s arrest was carried out by the Hawks’ 419 Task Team, known for their efforts in dismantling fraud syndicates,” Mavimbela said.

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Major General Ebrahim Kadwa, the provincial head of the Hawks in Gauteng, also praised the 419 Task Team for their diligent efforts in bringing the coltan scam to light.

“Da Lanca’s arrest sends a strong message that the Hawks are determined to tackle organized crime, fraud, and money laundering in South Africa,” Kadwa said.

He added that the arrest was part of a broader push to ensure justice for the victims of fraudulent schemes, including romance scams, which the 419 Task Team has been instrumental in investigating.

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