Bloemfontein Businesswoman Arrested for Fraud and Money Laundering Involving TERS Scheme
A 57-year-old Bloemfontein businesswoman, Marinda Smith, has been arrested by the Hawks in the Free State on charges of fraud and money laundering related to the Temporary Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) from the Department of Employment and Labour.
Smith allegedly claimed TERS benefits for 28 employees, resulting in a payout of over R537,000. However, the Specialised Investigating Unit (SIU) uncovered that none of the employees listed in her application were actually employed by her company.
According to Free State Hawks spokesperson Zweli Mohobeleli, Smith was granted bail and will return to court in January.
The case was transferred to the Hawks, leading to the issuance of an arrest warrant by the court. Smith appeared before the Bloemfontein Magistrate Court on December 13 and was released on R5,000 bail. She is scheduled to appear in the regional court on January 27. Major General Mokgadi Bokaba, the head of the Free State Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, commended the collaboration between the Hawks and the SIU, which led to this significant arrest.