Cape Town - Attorney Anthony Reynolds has been found guilty on multiple counts of fraud of trust fund money totalling over R3 million.
In a statement, Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani said Reynolds, 58, was convicted in the Bellville Serious Commercial Crimes Court on Friday.
“Reynolds, as a practising attorney between 2008 and 2010, received trust funds on behalf of his clients but did not use the funds for the intended purpose.
“As a result, a number of his clients filed complaints with the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team in Bellville for further probing,” Hani said.
An investigation by the Hawks found that Reynolds received proceeds from the sales of a number of immovable properties but did not distribute the proceeds to his client.
In another instance, he was instructed by a client to recover funds owed to the client by a debtor.
The debtor paid the funds into the trust account of the accused, however he did not pay the funds over to his client.
“This emanated after the Legal Practice Council (LPC) brought an application for the name of Reynolds to be struck off the roll on the basis that he was no longer a fit and proper person to practise.
“The embattled attorney has been on trial before the Bellville Commercial Court charged with stealing over R3 million from his clients, as well as allegedly engaging in money laundering by disposing of the sum between 2008 and 2010,” Hani said.
Reynolds was found guilty on nine counts and is set to be sentenced on August 25.
Cape Times