A former reality television personality was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport moments after landing in South Africa following his deportation from the United States, where he had been detained for nearly 100 days.

Peet Viljoen (57) was taken into custody by members of the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit on 16 June, just hours after his release from an American immigration detention centre.

According to Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale, Viljoen faces charges of fraud, theft, forgery, uttering, and contravention of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act relating to alleged crimes dating back to 2010.

The arrest relates to an extensive investigation into the fraudulent sale of properties belonging to the Johannesburg Property Company, an entity wholly owned by the City of Johannesburg. Several properties were allegedly sold to unsuspecting buyers without the company receiving payment, resulting in substantial financial losses.

The case was initially reported to local police before being referred to the Hawks for investigation.

Viljoen is expected to appear before the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on 18 June.

From reality TV to immigration detention

Viljoen and his wife, Mel, became household names through their appearance on kykNET’s The Real Housewives of Pretoria, where they showcased a luxury lifestyle and their involvement in the Tammy Taylor Nails franchise.

However, their glamorous public image unravelled dramatically earlier this year when the couple was arrested in Boca Raton, Florida, on charges of aggravated grand retail theft.

American authorities alleged the pair engaged in a six-month “ticket-switching” scheme at a Publix supermarket between August 2025 and March 2026, swapping price labels from cheaper items onto more expensive goods. The alleged fraud involved 392 items across 52 transactions, totalling $5,302.17 (approximately R98 000).

Following their arrest, immigration officials discovered the couple had overstayed their tourist visas, which had expired in November 2025. Both were transferred to the custody of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Mel was granted voluntary departure and returned to South Africa on 26 May after spending time in detention facilities in Florida and Colorado.

Peet remained in custody at multiple detention centres, including a facility in California, before appearing before an immigration judge on 4 June to request immediate deportation. He cited a desire to care for his ailing father as the reason for the request.

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Previous legal troubles

The OR Tambo arrest marks the second time Peet has been detained in connection with the Johannesburg Property Company case. He was first arrested alongside co-accused Edwin Risimate Maringa in August 2010.

The original case involved 29 charges of fraud and two of racketeering, concerning properties with an estimated market value exceeding R100 million. Viljoen was granted R50 000 bail by the Pretoria Regional Court in August 2010.

The syndicate allegedly identified city-owned land, created fraudulent documents to suggest the properties had been sold to a company in which Maringa held shares, and used Viljoen’s legal firm trust account to facilitate payments.

Viljoen was disbarred as an attorney in 2011 and remains permanently barred from practising law, according to the Legal Practice Council.

The couple also faces a separate judgement from a US federal court ordering them to pay $4 million (approximately R71 million) in statutory damages for trademark infringement and counterfeiting related to the Tammy Taylor Nails brand, a judgement they have reportedly refused to pay.

Investigations into the Johannesburg Property Company case continue.

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