Money Heist at Queen of Hearts Restaurant: Director Swindled out of $47K!
Ryan Michael, the director of Queen of Hearts, Cairns, has been defrauded of US$47,000 by a suspected fraudster. Tadiwanashe Machingaidze, 23, approached Michael claiming to be a co-director and 20% shareholder of Tech Global (Pvt) Ltd, a reputable tender-winning company.
Suspect Presents Fake Purchase Order and Invoice
Machingaidze claimed to have won a tender to supply special drill bits to Shamva Gold Mine but did not have the capital to fund the project. She allegedly produced a fake purchase order, purportedly raised by Shamva Gold Mine to Tech Global, ordering 250 Bierhals Drill Bits at US$86,000. She also provided a pro forma invoice purportedly raised by a South African mining equipment supplier named Kori Engineering quoting the Drill Bits at US$47,000.
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Director Transfers Funds
Michael transferred a total of US$47,000 into a First National Bank account provided on the pro forma invoice, reported hmetro. Machingaidze allegedly showed Michael some screen shots of emails and WhatsApp chats purportedly from Kori Engineering, acknowledging receiving the funds and making delivery arrangements. She also provided screen shots of her communication with the Shamva Gold Mine ‘procurement officers’ identified as Richard Hamadziripi and Chengetal Nyagweta.
Fraud Uncovered
On July 25, Michael and Machingaidze drove to Shamva Gold Mine with the consignment of 250 Drill Bits intending to supply the mine. Upon arrival, they parked outside and waited for the ‘procurement officers’ who were no longer answering their phones. Michael approached Mthulisi Mlopo, the Chief Stores Controller at Shamva Gold Mine, and advised him of the purpose of their visit to the mine. Mlopo informed him that there were no employees by the names Richard Hamadziripi and Chengetal Nyagweta at the mine.
Efforts to Recover Stolen Funds Prove Fruitless
Mlopo also advised him that the mine never ordered Drill Bits from Tech Global and the transaction was fake. Michael then approached Philip Mudumi, the director of Tech Global (Pvt) Ltd, who disowned the purported procurement contract and indicated that Machingaidze was neither a director, shareholder, nor employee at the company.
Michael made efforts to recover his money from Machingaidze, but they were all in vain, and he filed a police report. Tadiwanashe Machingaidze was not asked to plead when she appeared in court on Saturday and the case is ongoing.