Johann Steynberg has nowhere to hide now that his identity has been revealed in Brazil, and he is being held in police custody for defrauding thousands of investors in South Africa and overseas.
The CEO and owner of Mirror Trading International was nabbed by military police and the Rapid Ostensive Intervention Group (Giro) in the Brazilian province of Goiás capital. Brandon Topham, the chief of enforcement at South Africa’s Financial Sector Conduct Authority, was informed of the arrest by The Hawks, the country’s elite police force.
Before his apprehension, Steynberg was wanted by Interpol and the FBI. The police in Brazil were alerted to a suspect who was using forged documents, but they did not arrest him right away. It was only after they had discovered Steynberg’s identify as a fraud suspect wanted in South Africa that they zeroed in on him. He then provided forged documents, but the cops had already established his genuine identity. He was apprehended and taken to the Federal Police in Goiás on December 29.
According to a statement released by the Goiás military police, “The criminal was presented to the PF Superintendence to fulfill the international arrest warrant and fine for the crime of using a false document.”
“We do not just play with thieves in flip-flops,” the governor of Goiás stated. A high-end criminal doesn’t rise in the State of Goiás. He will get arrested regardless of his status. Our troops have complete freedom to act.”
The military police seized notebooks, credit cards, and false identities.
Chainalysis described the Mirror Trading International scam as the largest crypto scam of 2020. Many investors put down the required bitcoin deposit after hearing about monthly profits of up to 10%.
More than 29000 BTC are thought to have moved through Steynberg’s company.
In 2020, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority filed a criminal complaint against Steynberg’s company and advised consumers to withdraw their funds.