Assets have been seized from three people arrested in connection with a R25-million trucking scam, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Monday.
”Assets seized by the asset forfeiture unit include property, three vehicles, a boat [rubber duck] with carriage, a 9mm firearm and three bank accounts,” said NPA spokesperson Lucinda Moonieya.
The three, Mynerd Hendrikz, Anton de Bruyn and his wife Debra de Bruyn were arrested in the Randfontein area in September on charges of fraud, theft and violating the Prevention of Organised Crime Act and the Companies Act.
Assets were seized from both the De Bruyn residence and the Hendrikz home in Krugersdorp on Monday.
They allegedly ran a scam in 2001, which used false advertisements and marketing to defraud people of thousands of rands.
”Advertisements offered unsuspecting investors assistance with the purchasing of a truck, financing on this purchase, a lucrative transport contract that would also easily service the financing agreement or franchise, together with training in the business against an upfront payment of R51 000,” Moonieya said.
Potential investors were invited to a presentation, including the viewing of a DVD/CD of the trucks for sale and the alleged fraud suspects would go as far as taking investors to a yard where trucks were stored.
Once the presentation was complete, a contract would be signed and banking details would be provided for investors to make payments.
The investors then found that the lofty promises of the elaborately put together scheme were never kept. Some who were taken in by the scam have resorted to filing civil cases against the three.
”Upon enquiries from investors, they found that the yards where the trucks were supposed to be stalled, belonged to truck dealers that had no connection with the accused, neither did photos of trucks shown in presentations belong to them,” said Moonieya.
Debra de Bruyn is out on bail of R10 000 while Mynerd Hendrikz and Anton de Bruyn were granted R200 000 bail. They have not paid bail and remain in custody.
They will appear before the Krugersdorp Magistrates Court on November 24. — Sapa