Lenn Roy Jovner (26), a convicted offender who appeared before the Pretoria Magistrate Court on 15 August 2022, after being arrested amongst other inmates for extortion, forgery and uttering and money laundering has now been additionally arrested for contempt of a Court order.
This follows a report from the state witness with evidence, alleging that the accused contacted him making intimidation remarks. This happened after the suspect was ordered by the Pretoria Magistrate Court on 15 August 2022, not to make any direct or indirect contact with state witnesses.
The investigation team assisted by the officials from the Department of Correctional Services confiscated two additional cellphones from him at Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Centre on Sunday, 21 August 2022.
The devices were positively linked to the alleged communication with the said state witness. Furthermore, supplementary incriminating evidence reportedly connecting the accused and other suspects to extortion of a male victim from Limpopo who paid large amount of cash and later committed suicide had also been retrieved.
Jovner and three other inmates were allegedly extorting money from several male victims who sought service from commercial sex-workers advertising on an online escort agencies between May and August 2022.
They allegedly obtained a call log from the clandestine online escort agencies. Further created fake profiles using the combination of both names and photos taken from social media profiles of unsuspecting police officers.
Male victims would later be informed by someone purporting to be a police officer that a case of rape and fraud was opened against them for using fake money to pay sex-workers.
Two separate bank accounts given to male victims to deposit the money were uncovered holding funds surpassing R1.3 million.
The case against Jovner for contempt of a Court order will be heard in Pretoria Magistrate Court on Friday, 26 August 2022.
He is also expected to return to the same court along with his alleged accomplices on the 22 September 2022 on the main charges.
Read: Extortion scam from prison cells – Convicted inmates charged
