Cape Town – A Western Cape attorney was convicted in the Bellville Serious Commercials Crimes Court on multiple charges of fraud after allegedly siphoning trust fund money over R3 million.
Anthony Reynolds, 58, was convicted on Friday.
According to the provincial spokesperson for the Directorate For Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Zinzi Hani, Reynolds was practising as an attorney between 2008 and 2018 and received trust funds on behalf of his clients.
He did not use the funds for the intended purposes.
Hani said as a result, a number of clients filed complaints against him with the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team in Bellville for further probing.
“An investigation by the Hawks’ revealed that Reynolds received proceeds from the sales of a number of immovable properties but did not distribute the proceeds to his client.
“In another instance, he was instructed by a client to recover funds owed to the client by a debtor.
“The debtor paid the funds into the trust account of the accused, however he did not pay the funds over to his client.
“This emanated after the Legal Practice Council (LPC) brought an application for the name of Reynolds to be struck off the roll on the basis that he was no longer a fit and proper person to practise,” Hani said.
She said Reynolds has also been alleged to have engaged in money laundering practices.
“The embattled attorney has been on trial before the Bellville Commercial Court charged with stealing over R3 million from his clients, as well as allegedly engaging in money laundering by disposing of the sum between 2008 and 2010,” Hani said.