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| ©Image: Veli Nhlapo |
Former Kaizer Chiefs PRO Louis “Sprinter” Tshakoane was arrested dramatically at the funeral of Sundowns communications manager Alex “Goldfinger” Shakoane, four years after police first issued a warrant for his arrest for allegedly running a R100m Ponzi scheme with his son Kgopotso, 34. Neighbours who spoke to Sowetan said they were shocked to learn Tshakoane was a wanted man as he lived in his home, coming and going as he pleased. Before his arrest, armed Hawks officers were milling outside the church where the service was being held. Moments later, they were seen escorting Tshakoane out of the church with one officer having a warrant of arrest. The father and son pair is expected to appear in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court today on fraud, theft, money laundering and infringement of the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act.
Tshakoane, 74, has been on the run since 2019 when police issued a warrant for his arrest together with his wife, Komane, 60, who the state accused of defrauding investors through the son’s unregistered scheme known as Undercover Millionaires. A company search by Sowetan revealed that Tshakoane runs 14 companies, including Undercover Millionaires, which was deregistered in 2019. Kedibone Somfula, a pensioner from Ormonde, Johannesburg, invested R20,000 of her pension funds in the scheme in 2015 after she attended a presentation by Kgopotso in Sandton. Paulina Sithole invested R20,000 from her late policeman husband's inheritance and was promised that her investment would double their returns in three months. However, after trying to claim her dividends, she discovered it was all lies.
She wanted to use the money to start a small farm but would not get her money back. Kgopotso's arrests meant nothing to her, as they took her hard-earned money for a lavish life while she still had children to care for.
