A 34-year-old fraudster who posed as a travel agent promising luxury boat trips to Mozambique has been arrested after scamming 30 unsuspecting residents out of a staggering R150,000—then vanishing without a trace.
The Free State Provincial Commercial Crime Investigation Unit (CCIU) had been on the suspect’s trail since December 2023, following complaints from victims in Bohlokong, Bethlehem who had eagerly paid for their supposed getaway, only to be left stranded.
Captain Loraine Earle, police spokesperson, revealed that each victim deposited amounts ranging from R5,700 to R7,000 into the suspect’s business account over several months. The elaborate scheme ran from March to December 2023, with the con artist convincing travelers that their dream vacation was just a payment away.
But when departure day arrived, there were no tickets, no boat trips—only silence. As reality sank in, furious victims realized they had been duped, and authorities launched an investigation to track down the scammer.
After months on the run, the suspect was finally caught on February 5, arrested at his home in Bohlokong, Bethlehem. A warrant had been issued, and officers from the Provincial Commercial Crime Unit in Mofutsanyana District successfully apprehended him.
Now, the alleged scammer will face fraud charges before the Bethlehem Magistrate’s Court on February 6. As victims seek justice, this arrest serves as a stark warning against fraudulent travel deals that seem too good to be true.
