Investors in a pyramid scheme being operated in the southern Cape are running the risk of losing a large portion of their money. An investigation commissioned by the Registrar of Banks into the activities of Minne Opleiding/Trading has found that almost 700 investors invested at least R200m in the entity.
The money was ostensibly raised for training and dealing in foreign exchange. It now appears to be nothing more than a pyramid scheme with money being raised in contravention of the Banks Act.
In November the Registrar of Banks ordered Minne Opleiding/Trading and Graeme Minne, who was operating the scheme, to refund investors and cease taking deposits from them.
From the initial investigation it appears that Minne had raised R200m, but the investigation is continuing and the amount could be larger.
Investors were enlisted for Minne Opleiding/Trading with promises of 48% and 65% interest. This interest was indeed paid to investors, but the investigating team found that the entities' activities were not nearly profitable enough to justify the payments.
According to the inspectors, Minne said that money from "Investor B" was used to repay "nvestor A".
The inspectors are currently drawing up an inventory of all available assets, and it appears unlikely that investors will receive their full investment back. At most, they can hope for a percentage of the original capital amount, but at this stage how much is unknown.