By Mapaballo Borotho

- Controversial lawyer and reality TV personality Peet Viljoen will remain behind bars after his bail application was postponed.
- Viljoen faces approximately 400 charges, including fraud, corruption, theft, perjury and forgery linked to alleged unlawful property sales.
- The Hawks say their investigation into the matter has been ongoing for more than a decade, with Viljoen expected back in court on 26 June.
Controversial lawyer and reality TV star Peet Viljoen is set to spend at least another week behind bars following the postponement of his bail application.
Viljoen appeared before the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Thursday, 18 June 2026, following his arrest at OR Tambo International Airport earlier this week.
He was arrested shortly after landing from the United States.
Reports indicate that he was deported back to South Africa following his arrest alongside his wife, Mel Viljoen, on allegations of shoplifting in the United States. Mel Viljoen has continued to deny the allegations.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Peet Viljoen is facing approximately 400 charges, including corruption, fraud, theft, perjury and forgery.
He is also facing fraud-related charges linked to alleged unlawful property sales dating back to 2010.
The Hawks confirmed that investigators have been working on the matter for more than a decade.
“Viljoen’s arrest follows an extensive investigation into allegations relating to the fraudulent sale of properties belonging to the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC), an entity wholly owned by the City of Johannesburg.
It is alleged that during May 2010, several properties owned by the Johannesburg Property Company were unlawfully sold to unsuspecting bona fide purchasers. Despite the properties being transferred and sold, the Johannesburg Property Company reportedly did not receive payment for the transactions, resulting in substantial financial prejudice.
The cases were reported at Sandton and Boschkop police stations and were subsequently referred to the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit for further investigation,” said Hawks spokesperson Katlego Mogale.
Viljoen is expected to return to the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on 26 June, where the State is expected to formally oppose his application for bail.
It should be noted that the charges against Viljoen remain allegations at this stage.
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