Melikhaya Zagagana17 April 2024 | 12:40

Cape Town woman handed 22-year sentence for fraud over housing scam

In March, Virginia Dawn Wilscot was found guilty of fraud, forgery, theft and uttering. The Hawks said she forged documents of houses and vehicles that were supposed to be on auction, and presented them to the victims as items for sale.

Cape Town woman handed 22-year sentence for fraud over housing scam

Picture: Pixabay

CAPE TOWN - The Bellville Specialised Commercial Crimes Court has slapped a 60-year-old woman convicted of fraud with a 22-year jail term - 11 of which will be direct imprisonment.

In March, Virginia Dawn Wilscot was found guilty of fraud, forgery, theft and uttering.

According to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation commonly known as the Hawks, Wilscot misrepresented herself as someone who buys houses and vehicles that were put on auction.

The Hawks said she forged documents of houses and vehicles that were supposed to be on auction, and presented them to the victims as items for sale.

Over R3 million was paid into Wilscot's bank account for services that were not rendered.

The directorate's spokesperson, Zinzi Hani, said the crimes were committed between 2012 and 2017.

"The matter was reported to the Hawks' Bellville-based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team for probing. Wilscot was subsequently found guilty on twenty (20) counts of fraud, one (1) count of theft and eight (8) counts of forgery and uttering. She has been an awaiting trial prisoner since September 2017."