The Hawks arrested a Hartswater man for fraud and money laundering.
Image: File picture
A 30-YEAR-old Northern Cape man accused of posing as an investment broker and allegedly defrauding unsuspecting clients out of millions is now facing the music in court.
Ruan Maritz was arrested this week by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit in Hartswater following an extensive probe into a series of suspicious investment deals.
According to Hawks regional spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Tebogo Thebe, authorities allege that Maritz masqueraded as a broker for Quick Trade Investment and Forex Trading, luring victims with the promise of quick profits and matched investments.
The scheme reportedly worked like this: clients were encouraged to invest 50% of the capital, with the assurance that the “broker” would top it up with a matching amount. But that match never materialised. Instead, the promised payouts vanished - along with the victims’ money. The total financial blow to investors is believed to be around R2 million.
Maritz made a brief appearance in the Hartswater Magistrate’s Court on charges of fraud and money laundering on March 26, where he was released on R50,000 bail. The case has been postponed to May 12 as investigations continue.
The arrest is the latest in a growing list of alleged investment scams to hit the Northern Cape, as law enforcement agencies intensify their efforts to clamp down on financial fraud.