Celebrity Chef Lusizo Henna Sentenced to 16 Years for Fraud and Money Laundering

Lusizo Mvula Henna, a well-known celebrity chef and owner of Blaque Olive Private Chefs, has been sentenced to a total of 16 years in prison by the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court for defrauding the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and money laundering. The court handed down a 10-year sentence for six counts of fraud and an additional 6 years for 14 counts of money laundering.

The court found that Henna, 41, claimed undue VAT refunds totaling R5.3 million from SARS, of which R3.1 million was paid out to him. Despite having a successful career as a chef with cooking shows on SABC 3 and a reported annual income of R4 million from TV shows and other contracts, Henna engaged in fraudulent activities. Magistrate Phindi Keswa stated that Henna was "flourishing in his business" and had "no need to want to get into get-rich schemes."

Investigations revealed that there were no trading activities in Blaque Olive's bank accounts to support the VAT refund claims made by Henna. The court determined that the claims were solely submitted to defraud SARS. After receiving the R3.1 million, Henna laundered the money within 14 days by transferring the proceeds to his relatives, friends, and others related to him.

Why this matters: This case highlights the importance of combating financial crimes and holding individuals accountable for defrauding government institutions. The sentencing sends a strong message that such offenses will not be tolerated and emphasizes the need for integrity in business practices, regardless of one's celebrity status or success.

Fiscus Fraud Sentence: The prosecutor argued that only direct imprisonment would be appropriate, as crimes against the fiscus have a detrimental impact on the government's ability to render services. Magistrate Keswa emphasized that the fraudulently obtained funds could have been used to improve the country's infrastructure and that the impact of the crime goes beyond just financial loss. The Gauteng NPA spokesperson praised the commitment of the prosecution and the investigation team in ensuring that justice was served. None of the R3.1 million was recovered from Henna, who broke down in tears as the sentence was read out in the court.

Key Takeaways

• Celebrity chef Lusizo Mvula Henna sentenced to 16 years in prison for SARS fraud and money laundering.
• Henna claimed undue VAT refunds of R5.3M, of which R3.1M was paid out, despite successful career.
• Court found no trading activities to support VAT claims, which were solely to defraud SARS.
• Henna laundered the R3.1M within 14 days by transferring to relatives, friends, and others.
• Sentencing sends strong message against financial crimes, emphasizing need for integrity in business.