South Africa: Reality Bites - - Peet Viljoen Arrested for Fraud On Arrival in SA

The former reality TV star's woes continue following his deportation from the US. Shortly after arriving in South Africa, the Hawks arrested him in connection with a R100m property fraud scheme that was perpetrated 16 years ago.

Former reality television personality Peet Viljoen is scheduled to appear in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Pretoria on Thursday, 18 June, facing charges that date back 16 years.

Viljoen (57) had just stepped off a plane at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on Tuesday, following his deportation from the US, when he was arrested by members of the Hawks' Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit.

He was arrested on allegations of fraud, theft, forgery, uttering and contravention of Section 4 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, 2004.

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His wife, Mel, had arrived in South Africa several weeks earlier after being deported from the US.

SA Police Service spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said that the arrest of the disbarred attorney followed an extensive investigation into alleged fraudulent sales of properties belonging to the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC), which is owned by the City of Johannesburg. It was one of the largest municipal property fraud investigations in the city's history.

Mogale said investigations into the property fraud scheme were ongoing.

The case centred on allegations that a syndicate used forged documents and fraudulent property transfer processes to unlawfully transfer between 27 and 33 properties belonging to the...