Viljoen remains in custody, with his case set to continue on 4 September.
Disbarred lawyer Peet Viljoen in the dock yesterday. He faces more than 400 charges linked to an alleged multimillion-rand municipal property fraud scheme. Picture: Marizka Coetzer
Disbarred attorney and TV personality Peet Viljoen was denied bail on Monday, 17 August, after a magistrate ruled that he posed a flight risk in his multi-million-rand fraud case.
Viljoen, 57, was arrested on 16 June by the Hawks at OR Tambo International Airport on his arrival from the US, where he had spent roughly 100 days in immigration custody.
Magistrate cites new charges and no fixed address
According to Sunday World, Magistrate Nicca Setshogoe took into account that additional fraud cases had been registered against Viljoen between 2021 and 2023, over the alleged fraudulent sale of Tammy Taylor franchises, while he was already out on bail.
She reportedly also raised concerns that Viljoen had no fixed address in South Africa, a factor she found significant, and pointed to allegations that he had intimidated state witnesses and the investigating officer.
Viljoen faces more than 400 charges, including fraud, theft, forgery, corruption and contravening the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, linked to the alleged fraudulent sale of 46 Johannesburg Property Company (JPC)-owned properties worth R27 million.
According to the state, Viljoen personally benefited from the scheme and poses a flight risk, a claim he has previously maintained is unfounded.
Viljoen denies flight risk claims
In his bail application, Viljoen maintained he was still technically on bail and had not breached any conditions.
He offered to surrender his passport and said he had chosen to return to South Africa despite having the option of being deported elsewhere after his troubles with US immigration authorities.
According to reports, he told the court he could not go back to the United States because he had signed a document barring him from entering the country for ten years.
Previous court appearance
Viljoen previously appeared before the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court for his bail application after the Hawks arrested him on 16 June at OR Tambo International Airport, following roughly 100 days in US immigration custody.
At that hearing, prosecutors argued that social media comments Viljoen had made about the judiciary were racist and intended to undermine public confidence in the courts.
Viljoen rejected this characterisation, telling the court, “I have never hesitated to criticise problems in the South African context, including the governmental administration and the courts,” and adding, “I believe this to be my constitutional right”.
Prosecutors at that earlier hearing also argued Viljoen had not returned to South Africa voluntarily but had been deported after his illegal status in the US was uncovered, pointing out that he had sold his property and relocated his family before ever disclosing his pending legal troubles to US immigration authorities.
State disputes his account
The state argued that Viljoen had disposed of his South African assets before relocating to the US, and that Home Affairs records showed no evidence he and his wife, Mel, had returned to the country after leaving in 2025.
Quoting from Viljoen’s US immigration transcripts, the prosecutor told the court Viljoen had said, “I never want to come back,” referring to America. He added, “He was never coming back to South Africa”.
Viljoen denied wrongdoing and said he intends to sue the National Prosecuting Authority for R500 million over what he described as an unlawful prosecution.
He remains in custody, with the case set to continue on 4 September.
