The Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court sentenced Marius Smit to three years in prison on Friday for defrauding people through false advertising of vehicles on Facebook.
According to police, the 27-year-old Smit was arrested in 2019 in Botshabelo during a sting operation by the Hawks. He had been defrauding unsuspecting victims since 2014.
"A disruptive operation was conducted by members of the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation in Bloemfontein, together with Hawks’ Communication Services, where Smit was traced and arrested in Botshabelo while he was withdrawing the money at an ATM. Smit appeared in court on several occasions, culminating in his recent conviction," said Free State Hawks spokesperson Captain Christopher Singo.
The Hawks in Bloemfontein received a tip-off about Smit's fraudulent activities on Facebook.
Singo said Smit had requested interested buyers to send money for fuel and delivery costs of vehicles.
The victims would then send cash to him through e-wallet or money market transfers. Smit withdrew the money, but did not deliver the vehicles as agreed.
Several people lost thousands of rands through his elaborate scheme.
The court sentenced him to three years in jail for fraud.
