Women tell how bogus doctor left them in debt

Cops nab Leeto’s ‘father’ for ID confirmation

A nurse has told of how she fell victim to a romance scam and gave bogus doctor Leeto Kingsley Chele more than R200,000 in three months to help him "save" his alleged business and also open a pharmacy.

Another victim who gave Chele R50,000 said they had also been involved romantically.

The women spoke to Sowetan on Tuesday as police revealed that they are looking for Thabo Isaac Puseletso Chele, 60, who is linked to Chele's identity fraud case. Sowetan has established that he was nabbed on Tuesday.

A source close to investigation said Thabo was wanted in order to confirm if Chele is indeed his son. The state is in possession of two SA identity documents belonging to Chele.

Chele is expected to appear in the Pretoria magistrate's court next week.

The nurse, from Roodepoort on the West Rand, on Tuesday recalled how she met Chele on Facebook, and the two became friends.

They then became lovers, with Chele showing her documents, videos and pictures of his alleged businesses and even taking her to a site to show her where his pharmacy would be based.

The source, however, said there is no trace of the pharmaceutical business he claims to own.

It is alleged that Chele stole a total of R1.2m from his victims in Johannesburg and Pretoria. The largest amount he allegedly stole from an individual was R330,000.

He lived in Ruimsig, Roodepoort, and had been posing as a doctor and using two SA identity documents, claiming he was born in 2006.

Chele has been in custody since October 2023.

I pay R8,000 per month. From being a breadwinner to depending on others [in her family].Anonymous source

The nurse, 31, who asked not to be named, said between December 2022 and March 2023, she gave Chele more than R200,000 after he promised her that the money would be paid back once the pharmacy started running.

"He approached me via Facebook in December 2022 and said he was an orthopedic doctor. Everything went well between us. I visited his place about five times," she recalled. 

"He showed me videos of a warehouse he claimed to co-own in Polokwane,. A few weeks later [in December 2022], he said his business partner had run away with his money, and that's when I took a loan and gave him R20,000 [on December 23] and R55,000 [the next day].

"He had convinced me to take the loan so that he could save his business. In January, I sent him R5,000 for renovations."

On March 16 2023, she gave Chele R120,000. In May, she sent him R350 and in July R400.

"The reason why I stayed with him until October is because I wanted him to pay me back the money. Of all the monies I gave him, he only paid back the R400.," she said.

She said everything Chele said sounded and looked legit.

The woman, who is still repaying the loan, said this has affected her badly. "I pay R8,000 per month. From being a breadwinner to depending on others [in her family]. I used to take care of my sister's three kids and now things have been very difficult because of the situation he put me in."

The other victim, 27, said she got into a romantic relationship with Chele in 2021 but lost touch with him. They, however, reunited in 2023.

She said she took out a loan of R50,000 in 2023 after she was made to believe that he needed to pay rent where the pharmacy was located. 

"He sounded genuine because he even showed me papers from the landlord that his rent was due. He showed me so-called messages from the landlord and they were threatening to close the pharmacy," she said.

She said the loan has set her back in life. "I had plans that I was going to leave my parents' house and get my own apartment ... but now I have to pay this loan. I'm paying R2,600 per month. Luckily, I will be paying my last installment in December.

Sibeko urged anyone with information regarding Thabo's whereabouts to contact the investigating officer, Lt-Col Masoding Simon Motolla, on 082-715-9583 or 071-675-6421 or Crime Stop on 08600-10111.

Sibeko said all information will be treated with confidentiality.

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