Fraudster runs job scam from jail

[Dave A]

Talk about overcoming obstacles. Try running a business from prison!

A convicted fraudster is running a scam from his prison cell that is duping hundreds of people - using four legitimate companies and an unwitting law firm.

Speta Johannes Molokeng has been operating a money-spinning marketing business from C-section of Vereeniging Prison for the past three years.

Better known as prisoner 98531218, he has fraudulently used the names of law firms across the country to place numerous ads in newspapers, hoping to recruit 40 000 matriculant marketers and drivers for his four companies.
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Molokeng was arrested in 2002 for fraud. He was convicted a year later and sentenced to 12 years behind bars. Since then he has incurred more than R40 000 worth of advertising debt with Independent Newspapers alone.
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Puleng Mokhoane, spokesperson for the Free State Correctional Services, said they would investigate Molokeng's activities.

It was illegal to run a business from prison, she added.
full story from IOL here

[Candy Bouwer]

I just can't fathom how the system couldn't see that something was going on right under there noses...i smell a rat...and there is far to much of it in our so called policing " System" to ignore....remember the guy who recently got out of c max...inside collaboration again me thinks!

[Dave A]

I agree it shouldn't be happening. The guy is in jail for fraud - the business is about fraud - good grief!

But reading the story, I can't help thinking of all the people who have "obstacles" that stop them from doing things. Those amazing roadblocks, like:

"I can't make a decision because I'm still mourning the death of my budgie"

And the budgie died two months ago.

/with apologies to all budgie lovers out there.

[bullfrog]

It makes prison seem so pointless. If he can commit fraud in prison after being put there for fraud, what is the purpose of being in prison? The problem I think is the amount of people who will be in on it. He is obviously paying someone inside to help him out.

I guess along with power, money also corrupts! But having money does mean you have more power too