Wedding Venue Scammer With Fraudulent Past Arrested In KZN

A 53-year-old woman with a criminal record spanning two decades has been arrested for scamming 17 couples through a fraudulent wedding venue scheme.

Members of Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) apprehended the woman on Tuesday morning, January 7, 2025, in Shallcross, KwaZulu-Natal.

The suspect allegedly duped couples by collecting payments via EFT for a wedding venue in Botha’s Hill, KZN, despite not owning the property. Victims arrived on their wedding day to discover the venue double-booked, without electricity or water, and in a dilapidated state.

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The woman demanded full payment before allowing clients to view the property, ensuring her scheme went undetected until it was too late.

Wedding Scammer Exposed

The scam came to light when a couple from eThekwini approached RUSA in December 2024 after losing R26,000 to the fraudster. Following public circulation of the scam, RUSA’s Operations Centre received 17 more complaints from victims across South Africa.

RUSA officers traced the suspect and arrested her after a brief interrogation. During questioning, she claimed to be a former criminal attorney disbarred by the Law Society for stealing from a client’s trust fund. Further investigation revealed she had a criminal record, including a fraud conviction, and a history of scams dating back over 20 years.

Detectives from SAPS Boksburg North confirmed the woman was wanted for two fraud cases in Gauteng. She allegedly defrauded a car dealership of R200,000 and another couple of R26,000 in 2024. Crime Administration Numbers (CAS) linked her to these cases, and authorities coordinated with RUSA to secure her arrest.

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Next Steps in the Investigation

Detectives from SAPS Boksburg North are travelling to KwaZulu-Natal to transport the suspect back to Gauteng for further investigations.

RUSA spokesperson expressed relief over the arrest, urging other potential victims to come forward: “This arrest highlights the importance of thorough checks when dealing with service providers. We urge anyone who may have fallen prey to this individual to contact authorities immediately.”

The suspect faces multiple charges of fraud and remains in custody pending further legal proceedings.

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