Second arrest for Cape Town luxury accommodation 'scammer' suspected of pocketing millions

An alleged luxury accommodation scammer, who is suspected of making up to an estimated R34 million during the last two years by defrauding luxury property owners along Cape Town's Atlantic Seaboard, as well as unsuspecting tourists, has been arrested on charges of fraud for a second time.

Darren Russell, a British citizen who arrived in South Africa in December 2020 on a visitor's visa, remains in custody until a bail hearing in early February.

He was first arrested in about mid-2022 and released on bail. He has now been arrested on more fraud charges as more victims have come to the fore.