Cape Town widow allegedly conned out of R14m in Christian dating site scam
A 73-year-old Cape Town widow was defrauded of R14 million by a syndicate operating through a Christian dating website. Seven suspects have appeared in court on charges of fraud and money laundering related to the long-term scam.
Why it matters
This case underscores the growing prevalence of sophisticated online romance scams targeting vulnerable individuals and the importance of digital financial literacy.
When Cape Town widow Roslyn Gray, 73, met a charming Italian-born businessman on a Christian dating site, she thought she had found her lifelong companion. Instead, he stole R14m from her.
This week, Sikelelwa Nqunu and Chibuzor Silver appeared in the Muizenberg magistrate’s court in Cape Town. They are among seven suspects linked to an alleged syndicate. All are charged with fraud and money laundering. The other accused are Asanda Dwesini, Nomphelo Fetman, Brazil Hendricks, Shan Lewis and Lavina Oppel.
The case stems from a complaint laid in 2021 by Gray. According to court papers, she allegedly lost just over R14m between July 2017 and October 2022 after transferring money into several South African bank accounts allegedly controlled by members of the syndicate.
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