File photo
This article has been updated with additional information
A fake real estate agent, who happens to share a name with a real agent, has been sentenced to 10 years of direct imprisonment following her conviction on charges of cyber fraud and money laundering in the Eastern Cape.
Hlobisile Mdlalose, 42, was sentenced in the Mthatha Magistrates Court on Friday, more than a year after her arrest in Johannesburg in September 2023.
Police Spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana says that on July 7, 2022, the complainant saw an advertisement on the internet for a house for sale in Newtown, Lusikisiki.
He says she called the number on the advert and spoke to Mdlalose, who ordered her to make a payment and sent her an offer to purchase via email.
The victim received the offer to purchase and signed it the same day.
W/O Mhlakuvana says the attorneys contacted the victim, who requested her Financial Intelligent Centre Act (FICA) documents.
He says that once the papers were processed, the victim received another email with banking details for a Nedbank account, in which she was told to transfer R650 000.
The victim realised something was wrong when the lawyers informed her that they had never received payment and that the Nedbank account was not affiliated with their firm.
The Hawks team based in Bizana managed to track down Mdlalose in Johannesburg, where she was arrested.
W/O Mhklakuvana says that following her arrest, she was transferred to appear in the Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, where she was released on bail of R8 000.
He says she made several court appearances until she was sentenced on Friday with no option of a fine.
AlgoaFM News erroneously published a photograph of the real property practitioner in Johannesburg.
We want to apologise for this editorial error and the harm it has caused Hlobisile Mdlalose, 31, a successful property practitioner based in Gauteng.
