The Zimbabwean company bought products from a company in South Africa.

"Criminals intercepted e-mails of the purchasing company and inserted their bank account details, subsequently diverting funds for the ensuing financial transactions. As a result of this business e-mail compromise, the Zimbabwean company paid more than R26 (about GBP1.2m) million into the account of the criminals. The Zimbabwean company reported the matter to law enforcement in Zimbabwe."

Zimbabwe's FIU requested assistance from South Africa's FIC to identify and freeze the bank accounts of the suspects and to assist in the repatriation of the stolen funds/

The FIC identified from its analysis that the suspects had an account with a bank in South Africa. Through further analysis, the FIC identified that the suspects had accounts at other banks through which they had dissipated their funds. With this information, the FIC issued directives for all the identified banks to place a hold on the bank accounts, which resulted in preservation orders being issued in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act, 1998/

On 24 April 2024 the South African high court in North West granted the forfeiture orders in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act for more than R12 million.

"As a result of the joint efforts of all the role players in the crime fighting value chain, six suspects, two South African citizens and four foreigners were arrested and charged with theft, fraud and money laundering," said the FIC in a statement.

The Defendants are due to appear in Court today.