A Harare businessman was swindled of more than US$37k after his own aunt created fake characters and romance in an extortion scheme.
At the heart of this twisted web is Simakuhle Ncube, the businessman’s aunt, who allegedly masterminded the scam. Simakuhle reportedly created multiple fake identities to trap her nephew, Culverwell Tawanda Venge, in an online relationship fraught with deceit.
How A Harare Woman Swindled A Businessman Of US$37k In A Fake Romance And Extortion Scandal
According to court documents seen by H-Metro, the extortion plot began in October last year. Prosecutors allege Simakuhle introduced Venge to a fictional woman named Tarisai Mlambo, claiming she was in need of accounting lessons. The two connected on WhatsApp, and soon Tarisai, played by Simakuhle, began to flirt with the businessman, leading to an intimate online affair.
But the scam didn’t stop there. Another fake character, Brian Mususa, who was said to be Tarisai’s husband, later “discovered” the love messages between his wife and Venge. Furious, Brian reportedly demanded compensation from the businessman for ruining his marriage.
Simakuhle allegedly stoked the fire, telling Venge that Tarisai was married to a powerful officer in the Central Intelligence Organisation and warning him that if he refused to pay, he would be “made to disappear.” This led Venge to hand over US$2,500 in November last year.
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But the demands kept coming. Just a week later, Brian reportedly demanded an additional US$10,000 for the supposed affair. As the pressure mounted, Venge was told that Tarisai had fallen ill, suffering from hypertension caused by the stress of being caught by her husband. He was asked to cover her medical bills at Baines Clinic in Harare.
Venge continued to make payments, believing he was helping Tarisai recover from her illness. At one point, he was informed that she needed surgery and later that she required treatment in India. When Venge expressed a desire to visit her, Simakuhle blocked his attempts, giving various excuses.
Plot Gets Darker
Then came the ultimate blow. Venge was told that Tarisai had died while receiving treatment in India. But the deception didn’t stop there. He was further informed that Brian had committed suicide, and his relatives were out for revenge, demanding even more money.
Throughout the entire ordeal, Venge never met any of these characters in person. The only person he saw face-to-face was his aunt, Simakuhle, who negotiated on behalf of the fake characters and received the payments.
The truth only came to light when Venge stumbled upon photos of people he was told were Tarisai, Brian, and Mrs. Mlambo. To his shock, he discovered that the individuals in the photos were actually people from Bulawayo, who had no connection to the elaborate scheme.
Realising he had been duped, Venge reported the matter to the police, leading to Simakuhle’s arrest.
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The post Harare Businessman Swindled By His Aunt of US$37k in Elaborate Fake Romance, Death and Extortion Scheme appeared first on iHarare News.
