The NPA has revealed that its Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) had frozen two hidden bank accounts in Israel, containing around R100m, of fugitive fraud suspects Ronald Bobroff and his son Darren, says report on the IoL site. ‘The huge freezing order was the result of excellent co-operation between both the South African and Israeli authorities,’ the NPA said.

‘The money in the bank accounts was initially frozen by the Israeli authorities after they became suspicious about transactions being conducted on the accounts by the Bobroffs.’ The freezing order was obtained in the Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) on 28 July.

The Bobroffs – personal injury lawyers – fled to Australia after the Law Society of the Northern Provinces sought to have them struck from the roll for allegedly overcharging accident victims who had won awards from the Road Accident Fund. The AFU had argued in court papers that the funds in the two bank accounts were most probably the proceeds of unlawful activities, ‘namely, fraud and/or theft and/or money laundering and that the Bobroffs laundered funds of their clients into the accounts in Israel. The money is currently kept safe in Israel until the finalisation of forfeiture proceedings,’ the NPA said.

Full report on the IoL site