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| Kgotlelelo Eva Molokoane Image: Veli Nhlapo |
South African pensioner Kgotlelelo Eva Molokoane and her nephew Thabang Molokoane have been charged with defrauding a pensioner of R2m in a sophisticated Tinder scam. The couple appeared in court for the alleged crime, which took place in 2014 when Katz, a widowed 67-year-old, went on the dating site looking for love. The money she gave to her "lover" to help him in his alleged business venture went into the duo's bank accounts.
Molokoane and Thabang face charges of fraud, theft, and contravening the Prevention of Organised Crime Act. According to the state, Katz met Shane Brandauer on Tinder who claimed to be a self-employed medical supply contractor with a lucrative contract at Olivedale Hospital in Randburg. He later informed her that he had won a contract at the hospital and convinced her to invest in his purported company, promising substantial returns from the hospital contract.
Katz transferred a total of R2,020,000 to two bank accounts held in the names of Molokoane (Standard Bank) and Thabang (First National Bank). The request for money from Brandauer became so regular that over months, Katz was sending amounts no less than R25,000 to these two accounts, weekly or even daily. The state said that after sending the money, Katz made multiple attempts to contact Brandauer, but found that the address he had given her in Northcliff, Johannesburg was fake and he also avoided her continuous attempts to meet up.
When police followed the money trail, they found that it had been sent to Molokoane and Thabang. Investigations revealed that Brandauer was a fictitious persona created by the two to facilitate the scam. Police also found that there was no Shane Brandauer who was ever awarded a tender at Olivedale Hospital.
Molokoane and Thabang acted in common purpose, and Brandauer, who the state has determined to be fictitious, to unlawfully, falsely, and with an intent, to defraud Katz. The money could not have been good returns for the complainant as the money was never invested but was used by the two accused for their own benefit.
Katz died of natural causes this year at the age of 77. Molokoane and her nephew will be back in court on September 30.
