Controversial former lawyer Peet Viljoen remains behind bars after making his first appearance in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Thursday.
The matter was postponed to June 26 for a bail application.
Viljoen, 57, was arrested by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit at OR Tambo International Airport on June 16. He is facing charges of fraud, theft, forgery, uttering, and contravening Section 4 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act.
His arrest marks the latest chapter in a long-running legal saga that has kept the former attorney in the spotlight for more than a decade.
According to the Hawks, the arrest follows “an extensive investigation into allegations relating to the fraudulent sale of properties belonging to the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC), an entity wholly owned by the City of Johannesburg.”
“It is alleged that during May 2010, several properties owned by the Johannesburg Property Company were unlawfully sold to unsuspecting bona fide purchasers. Despite the properties being transferred and sold, the Johannesburg Property Company reportedly did not receive payment for the transactions, resulting in substantial financial prejudice,” the Hawks said.
Authorities said the matter was initially reported to the Sandton and Boschkop police stations before being referred to the Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit.
More recently, Viljoen and his wife, Melany Viljoen, made international headlines after they were arrested in Boca Raton, Florida, in March 2026. The couple, known for their appearances on reality television, were accused of participating in an alleged organised retail theft scheme involving more than $5,000 (R81 043) worth of groceries from a supermarket. They denied intentionally stealing, although American authorities alleged surveillance footage showed both participating in the scheme.
Saturday Star