21 'lured to their deaths'
2008-07-19 07:23
Johannesburg - A woman was arrested for being the alleged mastermind of an insurance scam believed to have spawned the serial murder of at least 21 women, the Saturday Star reported on Saturday.
It was reported that the victims, all prostitutes or homeless, were lured to their deaths and then brutally disfigured as their killers hacked their features to make identification difficult.
The woman was arrested in Johannesburg.
The scam has netted at least R210 000 in death benefits so far, but it may be two to three times this amount.
Detectives were also checking whether Home Affairs officials and bank employees were involved in helping the scammers by issuing fraudulent IDs or opening fake bank accounts.
- SAPA