Hawks Clamp Down on Business Email Compromise Syndicate in Bramley

In a notable crackdown on cybercrime, the Hawks' Serious Commercial Crime division has apprehended the fourth accused associated with a Business Email Compromise (BEC) scheme targeting South African company Black Royalty Minerals (BRM). Zingisa Ntsunguzi, 39, joins a growing list of suspects involved in defrauding nearly R2.2 million from the company.

The intricate web of deception was initially uncovered by the vigilant CFO of BRM, who spotted anomalies after clients inquired about a new FNB bank account. This discovery set the ball rolling for a Hawks-led investigation, rooted at the Bramley police station. The fraudulent activity surfaced in December 2021, but it wasn't until March 2022 that an official case was filed.

Investigations honed in on unauthorized correspondences that masqueraded as legitimate communication from BRM's CFO. These emails misled clients into channeling their payments to the newly provided, but fraudulent, account details. Incriminating evidence implicated Elpatra Business Solutions (PTY) LTD, with Tsakane Shihambi, the sole director, eventually falling into the hands of the law earlier this year.

The scams' tentacles reached further as the Hawks traced monetary flows to various accounts, including a significant payment to Ntsunguzi. Caught in the web on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, at South Gate mall, her arrest added to the gravity of the case. Although released on a warning after appearing in Alexandra Magistrate’s Court, Ntsunguzi will return on August 22, 2024, to face the consequences alongside her co-conspirators.

Foreign nationals Akintomide Tayo Folarin and Toussaint Dossou-Alowanou, previously arrested in April 2024, add a transnational dimension to the syndicate. Both were granted R50,000 bail, underscoring the seriousness of their alleged criminal involvement.

BEC scams, as this case exemplifies, leverage deceit and manipulation, often infiltrating legitimate business communications to redirect funds into criminal coffers. As BRM and other potential business victims tighten their digital security infrastructure, the Hawks' expert forensic proficiencies become an indispensable asset in safeguarding South Africa's economic interests against sophisticated cybercriminals.