January 9, 2025: Johannesburg: A 53-year-old Indian-origin woman, Prelyn Mohanlall, has been arrested in South Africa for scamming 17 couples by taking advance payments for wedding venues she had no connection with. Mohanlall, a disbarred attorney, allegedly promised the couples their dream wedding day only to leave them heartbroken when they arrived at venues with no water, electricity, or staff.
Mohanlall’s fraudulent activities spanned multiple provinces, with couples falling victim to her deceptive schemes. Many reported paying large sums upfront, only to find themselves stranded on their special day. One couple, devastated by the ordeal, described how the scam ruined their wedding plans, forcing them to start saving from scratch to re-plan the event.
The scammer was arrested on Tuesday after being traced by Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), a private security company. RUSA uncovered at least 17 victims through social media and reported her fraudulent activities to local authorities. Prem Balram, head of RUSA, stated that Mohanlall had a long history of scams, including defrauding a car dealership of R200,000 and another couple of R26,000 in 2024.
Balram added, “It was established that the suspect has a criminal record spanning over two decades, including theft from a client’s trust fund during her time as a criminal attorney.”
Despite overwhelming evidence, Mohanlall denied running a scam, claiming her business was facing financial difficulties due to unexpected cancellations. “It’s not a scam, and I am not a scammer,” she told The Post. “I owe nine couples about R60,000 and plan to repay every cent. Unfortunately, my partners pulled out last October, causing financial strain.”
Mohanlall’s lawyer, Chris Gounden, has assured victims that arrangements will be made to repay the defrauded amounts. This promise may help her avoid jail time.
One victim shared the emotional and financial toll the scam had on his and his fiancée’s lives. “What she took from us drastically impacted our planning. What was meant to be our dream day has now become something we can only settle for,” he said.
