GOLD Mafia Kingpin and money launderer Simon Rudland’s ex-wife Leigh Ann Patricia has won a US$1 million case against businessman Luka Ignatius Fabris and his company, Spartan Security (Pvt) Limited.
Harare Magistrate Feresi Chakanyuka found Fabris and his company guilty of defrauding Patricia Rudland of the investment she made with them in 2019.
According to the prosecution, Fabris and Spartan Security had promised Patricia Rudland a two percent monthly return on her investment, but she only received US$540,000 in total returns before the payments stopped.
The court rejected Fabris’ defense that the deal was simply an arrangement to convert a bank transfer into cash and that the value of the cash fell due to inflation.
Patricia Rudland’s testimony was deemed credible by the court, and her evidence was clear and satisfactory. The court found no reason for her to lie against the accused, and there was no paper trail of money being paid back to her.
The prosecution said: “We are pleased with the court’s decision and hope that it will serve as a warning to others who engage in fraudulent activities. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that justice is served and that those who break the law are held accountable.”
Al Jazeera in 2022 released a damning documentary highlighting that Simon Rudland has been involved in a complex web of transactions, including allegations of money laundering and gold smuggling.
Simon Rudland and Leigh-Ann Patricia Schoeman got married in Harare on September 3, 1992, according to the [Marriage Act, [Chapter 5:11]. However, on November 19, 2014, Schoeman filed a lawsuit against Rudland, seeking a divorce and other related concessions. There were also allegations that Simon planted cocaine on Leigh-Ann to have her arrested.
She alleged that the marriage had irreversibly broken down due to Rudland’s desertion, physical and mental cruelty towards her, refusal to cohabit with her, assault, denial of paternity of their child, and involvement in illegal business activities.
Then Schoeman also mentioned that they had not lived together for more than 30 months and that Rudland had started dating someone else.
As part of the divorce settlement, Schoeman was granted custody of their child Emma, and two big houses in Harare’s Borrowdale and Morningside, Johannesburg in South Africa, a 50 percent share in Glenbeach Investments (which owns another property). Rudland was ordered to pay US$5 million. Rudland agreed to take care of their minor child.
Rudland was last December spotted at Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s Wedding which he is alleged to have heavily funded.
Rudland is a Zimbabwean businessman with interests in logistics, agriculture and finance. He is the co-owner of Gold Leaf Tobacco Zimbabwe and a member of the Fair Trade Independent Tobacco Association (FITA). He also has interests in Pioneer Transport.
In April 2023, Al Jazeera, a Qatar-based news broadcaster, released a documentary titled Gold Mafia accusing Rudland, along with several Zimbabwean traders, of being part of an international network of gold smugglers that defrauded governments and avoided paying taxes.
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s Financial Intelligence Unit froze the accounts of various individuals involved, including Rudland, Uebert Angel, his in-law Ewan McMillan, Kamlesh Pattni, Cleopas Chidodo, David Chirozvi, Mehlululi Dube, and Fredrick Kunaka.
