When Tinder Swindler broadcasted many people couldn't believe how vulnerable some women could be and how the events displayed something like a movie. But months after the documentary aired, it looks like there are still women falling into the same trap and it is happening in our own backyard. Meet the Soweto Swindler and although he is not milking them of millions, several woman have come forward to say the smooth talker has swindled them out of money, clothes and food. Real name Thlogi Chopi from Diepkloof Extension in Soweto, which is considered an upmarket suburb of Soweto, it is alleged that Chopi has gone into hiding after numerous women claimed he swindled them. According to a social media post with a #SowetoSwindler ,which was posted at the beginning of last month, more than 30 women have come out and shared their stories on how Chopi swindled them.
HE SLEPT AT HER PLACE, ATE HER FOOD AND WORE HER CLOTHES
Nobukhosi Nhleko (29) says she is one of his victims. "It all started when we were hanging out with other friends at my place in Diepkloof ,where I am renting. I met him through a mutual friend who came with him and we quickly hit it off. We began dating on the spot and from there my friends left him at my place as he claimed that he was too tired to drive to Mpumalanga since he was drunk. I allowed him to sleep at my place and that was the beginning of him spending many nights during lockdown," she recalls. Nhleko tells Zimoja that she was vulnerable when Chopi found her as she had broken up with her boyfriend of many years. "He was a smooth talker and I fell for him on the spot, thinking that he was the real deal. Days went by and I discovered that he was a lying about his job in Mpumalanga and that he wasn't staying there. He began asking for petrol money, while staying at my place, eating my food and sleeping with me at the same time. When the first 21 days of lockdown were extended, I kicked him out after he had asked me to loan him R500, claiming that his car had a battery fault. At that point, he was always at my place and no one was allowed to move around so I couldn't understand why he needed the money," she says . Nhleko says that she lost close to R5000 in that one-month relationship, excluding her clothes that Chopi used to wear and the food he ate.
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CHARMER BOY
Another victim Shinay Molefe (21) from Mapetla in Soweto, still wants her money, which Chopi swindled from her in July after a chill out at Clearwater Mall. "I met him through a friend as we had gone for a chill out at Clearwater Mall. He was a good looking guy and of course, a smooth talker. When we were about to leave Clearwater Mall, he asked that we leave together since he lives in Soweto." Molefe says on her way to Soweto she decided to get a tatoo, which cost R1600 and before she knew it she was paying for two tattoos. Molefe claims that Chopi told her that he had left his money at his place and would pay it on the same day. "We left for his place and when we were there he suggested that we chill a bit and play a little bit of music since it was a Sunday. Fine, we chilled but later I told him he must give me my money as I wanted to go home. He went inside his room and came back with stories that his card had been blocked and that he was going to pay my money on Monday. After that he went underground until we met last month but I still don't have money."
THE EMERGENCE OF #SOWETO SWINDLER
Molefe says Chopi has blocked her on his social media pages ever since and many women have come out to share their stories on a Facebook under #SowetoSwindler. Chopi has. since switched off his phone avoiding to be reachable since the #Soweto Swindler broke out with many women confessing how they were swindled. In a twist of events, Zimoja has been reliably informed that Chopi's friends will be throwing him a big party to celebrate this feat of being dubbed the Soweto Swindler.
