Hawks Bust Prison Syndicate Running WhatsApp Extortion Scheme From Cells

The Hawks’ serious corruption investigation team has dismantled a WhatsApp extortion syndicate operating from inside the Zonderwater Correctional Centre in Gauteng, arresting eight inmates on Friday.

According to Free State police spokesperson Warrant Officer Fikiswa Matoti, the joint operation between the Hawks and the prison’s emergency support team was launched after complaints emerged about a scam involving the impersonation of a Hawks officer.

Hawks Extortion Scheme Traced to Zonderwater Prison

The case began in April 2025, when an advocate from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) reported suspicious WhatsApp messages to the Hawks in Bloemfontein.

An attorney had raised the alarm after the wife of an accused person received messages from someone posing as a police officer.

The scammer claimed to be working with a state prosecutor on her husband’s case — and demanded R200,000 to have the prosecution “terminated”.

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Investigators traced the messages to Zonderwater Correctional Centre, where eight inmates were identified as part of the elaborate scheme.

Phones and Documents Seized

During a coordinated cell raid, officers recovered cellphones, notebooks, and documents believed to have been used in the operation.

The police have since confirmed that investigations are ongoing to determine whether the syndicate had any external accomplices or other victims.

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