Eastern Cape woman pulls off a R1. 6 million payday scam with 17 sneaky bank accounts
Image: Hawks
A 44-year-old Eastern Cape woman was convicted on Tuesday of defrauding her employer of more than R1.6 million through a scheme involving 17 different bank accounts in her name.
Nortier was convicted by the Gqeberha Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on May 7, 2025, on charges of fraud and contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act, No. 121 of 1998.
Provincial Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana said Nortier's conviction followed her arrest by the Gqeberha-based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team of the Hawks, in conjunction with the National Prosecuting Authority, in August 2024.
Mhlakuvana said between September 2019 and November 2022, Nortier, while employed as the debtor's clerk, orchestrated fraudulent activities that prejudiced the company by exorbitant amounts of cash
'FSPA, based in Newton Park in Gqeberha, trades as a business providing administrative and secretarial support to Sectional Title and Homeowners Association clients,' he said.
Mhlakuvana added the company managed 82 housing complexes in the Gqeberha region, with part of its daily functions involving the maintenance of bank accounts and general ledgers for each complex.
'The various bank accounts were managed through a joint trust account,' he said.
'Levies for each of the 82 housing complexes were paid from this account.'
According to Mhlakuvana, the fraud was discovered on November 2, 2022, when a complaint was made after a refund of levies to two different owners was paid into the same bank account.
'Probing revealed that Nortier had 17 different bank accounts in her name wherein she diverted monies that were due to the clients, thus prejudicing the company more than R1.6 million, hence she was arrested in August 2024,' he said.
Mhlakuvana said Nortier appeared in court on the day of her arrest and was released on R100 bail due to her socio-economic status.
'Nortier made numerous court appearances until her conviction by the Gqeberha Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on May 7, 2025, and the matter was remanded to June 19, 2025, for pre-sentencing,' Mhlakuvana added.
Meanwhile, the provincial head of the Hawks, Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya, praised the joint investigative team.
'(They) secured a conviction and anticipated a deserving sentence against the perpetrator as it would deter criminal activities in the province,' he said.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Next
Stay
Close ✕
In a separate incident, Syed Khurram Aftab, 24, was found guilty and fined R136,750 by the Gqeberha Magistrate's Court on May 5, 2025, for contravening the Counterfeit Goods Act.
Aftab had been served with a summons by the Hawks in April 2025.
Mhlakuvana said that on March 18, 2025, Spoor & Fisher Attorneys, a firm specialising in trademark matters and anti-counterfeiting, received a complaint about counterfeit Apple iPhone goods being sold at MOD Tech shop in Walmer, Gqeberha.
'Subsequently, the law firm surveilled the cellular shop to ascertain the ferocity of the crime,' he said.
'According to the reports, a representative from attorneys purchased the items and analysed them, which were proved to be counterfeited,' he added.
Mhlakuvana said the lawyers conducted tests on the items, which represented Apple Inc., headquartered in the United States.
'The matter was officially reported to the SCCI of the Hawks for further investigation,' he said.
'On March 28, 2025, the investigating team of the Hawks executed a search and seizure warrant which authorised the investigators to search at the aforementioned shop.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
More suspects arrested for allegedly repackaging and selling rotten, expired food
Mpumalanga farmer, Pieter Johannes Grobler was released on R8,000 bail by the Secunda Magistrate's Court after he was arrested for repackaging and selling rotten, expired food. Image: Supplied/SAPS Family members, Mark Lombard, 29, and Sonnet Lombard, 46, have joined Mpumalanga farmer Pieter Grobler, 41, who was previously arrested for repackaging and selling expired and rotten food for human consumption. Grobler was arrested when law enforcement agencies raided a farm in Charl Cilliers, Mpumalanga, in February. He was subsequently released on R8,000 bail. In the latest developments, Hawks spokesperson in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi said Mark Lombard and Sonnet Lombard, believed to be Grobler's relatives, were on Tuesday arrested as additional suspects. 'The Lombards were released on warning after their brief court appearance in Secunda Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, 01 July 2025,' said Nkosi. 'The two suspects allegedly conspired with Grobler to commit fraudulent activities and money laundering.' The Lombards were warned by the court to appear alongside Grobler on 1 August. During Grobler's arrest, a number of items, including a truck, two light delivery vehicles, and seven refrigerators were found on the scene. The farmer allegedly collected expired food from chain stores and other distributors under the auspices of feeding such food to his domestic animals. When the team comprising the Hawks and Govan Mbeki Local Municipality's health inspectors visited the farm in February, they were shocked when two warehouses were found packed with food which they described as 'not fit for human consumption'. Nkosi previously said four cold rooms on the farm were filled with expired canned products, rotten red meat, and chicken. 'About 1,000 crates were found fully loaded with expired dairy products, including cheese products. A truck, fitted with a cold room, two light delivery vehicles, one loaded with meat, and an empty LDV (light delivery vehicle) were also found,' said Nkosi. The Hawks said an intense investigation will be conducted on the vehicles. 'A total of seven freezers were found in the warehouses, with repackaged wheat, flour, and maize meal. Equipment used for vacuuming, scales, and plastic sealers was found on the scene,' said Nkosi. He added that the recovered items include stickers and pricing machines, which are believed to be used during the repackaging of the expired and rotten food. Mpumalanga farmer, Pieter Johannes Grobler was released on R8,000 bail by the Secunda Magistrate's Court after he was arrested for repackaging and selling rotten, expired food. Image: Supplied
Daily Maverick
5 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Shelter or income generator — Risks and rewards of owning a property
In South Africa, keeping a roof over your head means more than just making monthly payments, it's about doing whatever it takes to hold onto the family's most valuable asset. Whether you're in a townhouse in a leafy suburb, or in a crowded taxi in a township, you probably know someone who's moved into a back room or a smaller flat so they can rent out their main home and keep up with the bond. 'The property is most probably the biggest asset you will ever own,' said Mfundo Mabaso, product head of FNB's home and structure business unit. For many South Africans, especially first-generation homeowners, a house is more than shelter; it's a symbol of progress and a vessel for generational wealth. But what happens when life throws a curveball and money gets tight? An all too common trend Mabaso has seen families 'vacate the main home and take residence in the garage to rent out the main home so that they can keep up with the repayment of the bond.' For them, losing the property is unthinkable. It's the last thing they're willing to give up. Two speeds of property investment Mass-market homeowners: These are often first-time buyers who see property ownership as a milestone and a way to build wealth. When financial pressures mount, these families might downsize within their own property – moving into smaller spaces like garages or back rooms – and rent out the main home to cover bond repayments. Affluent investors: Those with multiple properties who, when faced with economic challenges, tend to rent out their primary residences and downsize to smaller units. This strategy helps them maintain their investment portfolios and keep their long-term financial plans intact. Even if you're rich, you aren't immune to financial pressures. Mabaso explained that when wealthier families hit hard times, they often rent out their primary residence and downsize to something more manageable, all in a bid to hold onto their investment properties and keep their financial plans intact. The numbers behind the struggle This determination to hold onto property is riding a swell of a rising market. Property prices in South Africa are soaring, with the average residential price surpassing R1.6-million for the first time, and the annual growth rate in average residential prices now reaching 6.4%. Source: The Africanvestor Pieter Wessels, trustee of the PD Wessels Trust and owner of a Stellenbosch property, understands this well. 'Property like a house or flat is 'bricks and mortar'. You can see it,' he said. For Wessels, the appeal lies in leveraging a relatively small deposit into a significant investment, something much harder to achieve with shares or crypto. However, he quickly pointed out the risks. 'The less you pay, the easier it is to earn a better return in the form of rental. If you buy in a 'good' area, you might also get meaningful capital growth on your property apart from earning rental income.' Legal fees, transfer costs, and taxes on rental income are all part of the reality check for would-be investors. Security in a steady job While Wessels approaches property ownership from an investment perspective, others such as Thato Pheko, a high school teacher in the Free State, focus on the security that comes with steady employment. For Pheko, buying a house on a bond was about providing her children access to better schools near the city. 'I manage the payment with my salary,' she told Daily Maverick. Pheko feels insulated from major risk because she works for the government; a sector where, in her experience, sudden job losses are rare. 'I do not feel that there is much risk for me because I work for the government,' she said, confident that her employment stability will see her through the life of her bond. What this means for you Understand the full cost of property ownership: Beyond the purchase price, factor in legal fees, transfer costs, taxes on rental income, and ongoing maintenance; Plan for financial fluctuations: Job security and steady income can help, but unexpected challenges happen. Know your options, such as payment holidays or loan term extensions, and communicate early with your lender if you face difficulties; and Seek professional advice: Whether it's financial planning, tax implications, or legal matters, expert guidance can help you make informed decisions and protect your investment. When trouble strikes Financial stability can be fragile. Mabaso urged homeowners not to wait until it's too late. 'When you hit hard times, talk to your bank and that's the best thing that you can do for yourself.' Too often, he said, customers avoid the conversation, missing out on solutions such as payment holidays, interest-only periods or term extensions. If those options don't do the trick, banks may offer a 'quick-sell' process to protect your credit record before repossession becomes the only option. 'The execution or repossession of the properties is the action of last resort,' Mabaso said. By understanding the risks and rewards and knowing when and how to seek help, you can better navigate the complexities of the market and safeguard your home for the future. DM
Daily Maverick
9 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Acquitted: three Chinese nationals escape legal clutches in R100-million perlemoen smuggling case
Cold storage, pig stomachs and 40 tons of perlemoen weren't enough to land convictions in one of South Africa's biggest marine smuggling cases. On Tuesday, the accused walked — and the State was left empty-handed. Despite a four-year investigation, multiple arrests and more than 40 tons of confiscated illegal perlemoen, three Chinese nationals accused of running a R100-million abalone smuggling racket were acquitted on all charges in the Gqeberha Division of the High Court on Monday, 30 June 2025. In 2018, the Hawks intercepted shipping containers filled with perlemoen in the port of Port Elizabeth. These were quickly linked to several other containers in the Northern Cape, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, forming what investigators believed was a strong case against the owners of a Cape Town-based seafood import company. About 40 tons of perlemoen, found hidden in tripe and pig stomachs in cold storage containers, were allegedly linked back to Blue Fin Marine Trading, owned by husband and wife Kai Ou Yang and Hsien-Chu Ou Yang, along with the manager of the company, the wife's younger brother Chu-Kai Peter Chang. However, on Monday Judge Fungile Dotwana found the State had not linked any of the accused directly to the alleged racket, and acquitted them on all charges against them. 'None of the three accused were proven to be in physical possession of perlemoen… and they vehemently denied any involvement in the illicit perlemoen trade. 'Looking at the totality of the evidence, the State has failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt,' Dotwana said before excusing the accused from the dock. A trail of containers and cold storage facilities The case before court centred around the activities of Blue Fin, a company founded in 2005 that supplied restaurants and supermarkets in and around Cape Town with imported seafood. It was alleged that the company experienced some financial difficulties and looked for avenues to expand its business. One such option was to export beef and other meat products from South Africa to various ports around the world. However, the State alleged that this was little more than a ruse to cover the illegal export of perlemoen. After receiving information that led to the initial discovery in Gqeberha of 158 boxes of perlemoen hidden among pig stomachs in a container linked back to Blue Fin, the Hawks' investigation attempted to connect the dots between this container and several others across the country. In February 2017 two illegal perlemoen processing facilities in Cape Town were added to the list. In Killarney 28,733 units of perlemoen were recovered, and in Montague Gardens a further 12,266 units were found. Two weeks later, three tons of perlemoen were found in a cold storage facility in Cape Town. The pallets containing the perlemoen allegedly belonged to Blue Fin. Besides the initial bust in Gqeberha, three more containers were intercepted in 2018. Nine tons of perlemoen were found in containers in the Durban harbour, while another 900 boxes of tripe, with perlemoen hidden inside, were found in the Port of Port Elizabeth. The Hawks tailed the final container from a storage facility in Cape Town, following it all the way into the Northern Cape where it broke down about 30km from the town of Springbok. There the container was seized and more than 340kg of perlemoen found inside. Boxes relabelled, but links remain unclear Witnesses before court testified how boxes belonging to Blue Fin were brought to cold storage facilities in Cape Town, taken away by trucks, and returned shortly thereafter with new labels and stickers. Employees at these facilities assisted the Hawks in their investigation, and positively identified boxes labeled to contain 'meaty bones' as the ones containing illegal perlemoen. In their defence, all three accused denied any knowledge or involvement in the illegal perlemoen trade. While several individuals, including truck drivers and employees of Blue Fin, were arrested and convicted of activities related to the illegal trade and transport of perlemoen since 2017, Judge Dotwana found that none of the evidence presented to the court directly tied the owners or the manager to the illicit activities. The accused were represented by Advocate Michael Hulley, who has previously represented former president Jacob Zuma. After proceedings the newly acquitted individuals quickly filed out of the dock and left the court building. When asked if they would like to give any comment on the judgment, Hulley declined on behalf of his clients. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said it would consider reviewing the judgment. 'The NPA has noted the judgment in which three Chinese nationals were acquitted in a R100m perlemoen racketeering case. We will study the judgment carefully and consider possible legal avenues to take,' said NPA spokesperson Luxolo Tyali. DM
