Twenty-three men and women – including alleged investment scammers and call centre agents – were granted bail in the Specialised Commercial Crime Court sitting at Palm Ridge yesterday.

The accused were granted bail in varying amounts. While at least three of them received bail of R50 000, the majority were granted bail of R5 000, R10 000 or R20 000, reports News24.

The court ordered that the accused not make any direct or indirect contact with witnesses, notify the investigating officer of any change of address, and hand in their passports.

While 23 were granted bail, the applications for six of the accused – four men and two women – could not be heard because they opted for Legal Aid representation.

The group of 29 stood in the dock for their alleged role in a multinational fraud scheme that prosecutors said was one of the largest international call centre cons the country has ever seen, with more than R1bn siphoned from unsuspecting victims.

The state did not oppose their release on bail.

The accused may not be named or photographed, as per a court order.

The Hawks previously said that their investigation into the massive scam run from an office park in Bryanston took at least five years.

Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Singo said statements from 43 victims in Australia triggered the investigation.

Singo said it was alleged that the syndicates advertised bogus investment opportunities through various social media platforms, targeting victims who were close to retirement age and in possession of substantial savings, seeking growth and preservation of their funds.

The case was postponed to 19 March 2026.

Full News24 report