| 2025/01/28 |
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Media Statement FREE STATE – On 27 January 2025, Antonio Richard Macdonald (61) appeared before the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court for fraud and money laundering. This comes after he was arrested on the same day by the Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation in Bloemfontein. It is alleged that during the period between 27 March 2020 to 29 June 2021, Macdonald who is the owner of the company, Radius Sales Merchandising lodged an application for Covid-19 Temporary Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) with the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) on behalf of his purported employees, which was approved. The UIF made ten payments to a total amount of R1 082 460.96. An internal investigation was conducted and it was established that three people whose names were appearing on the fund application were of Lesotho nationals who were in South Africa illegally. A case was registered then referred to the Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation for further investigation that led to the arrest of the accused. The court granted Macdonald bail of R5000, the matter was remanded to 10 March 2025 and will be transferred to the Regional Court. Ends
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