WESTERN CAPE – A Western Cape attorney, Anthony Reynolds was found guilty on multiple counts of fraud of trust fund money totalling to nearly over R3 million yesterday,15 July 2022. Reynolds, 58, was convicted in the Bellville Serious Commercial Crimes Court.
Reynolds, as a practicing 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.
An investigation by the Hawks’ revealed 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 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 Practise 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. The Magistrate returned the unanimous verdict on the nine counts pending sentence on August 25, 2022
