FORMER SABC radio presenter, Sebasa Mogale (52) and his wife Dorah Mogale (44) briefly appeared before the Polokwane Magistrates Court on Friday, 15 March on charges of fraud emanating from a Bitcoin scam.
They were each released on R10 000 bail and will appear in court again on 20 May.
According to Limpopo police spokesman Colonel Malesela Ledwàba, reports indicated that in 2020, Sebasa, who worked at one of the SABC radio stations, allegedly advertised a scam called "Mining City” on radio.
“In the radio advert, he told listeners to visit his office in Landros Mare Street, Polokwane, to attend the session where he and two other people would present a seminar," said Ledwaba.
He said people attended the session and brochures were distributed, which indicated the various packages.
“Attendees believed in the advertised scam, reasons being he is Mr Sebasa Mogale, the radio presenter. They gave them reference numbers to individually deposit the money into a Standard Bank account belonging to Altcoin Trader,” Ledwaba said.
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He said the alleged mining packages varied from R6 500 to R253 000 with estimated payouts.
“Indeed, victims put money in the said scam. Money was deposited and an instruction was given that after depositing the money, they should go back to the office where they created email addresses and log in details to each victim to have access to their money. Victims were told to wait for a period of six month before they withdrew their benefits. This was to allow them to get better benefits,” he said.
Ledwaba said the problem allegedly started when the victims tried to withdraw their money. That's when they realised that details given to them were blocked.
“When victims questioned Sebasa telephonically about their investment, he told them the Mining City investment scheme had collapsed due to the inflation rate. It meant that "investors" lost their money. Victims went back to the office and found that the office was also closed and his [Sebasa's] phone was on voicemail."
Ledwaba said in May 2022 over 10 case dockets were registered against the suspects in Polokwane and Mokopane Saps. More cases are expected to be opened.
“Police investigations are still ongoing,” he said.
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