Three Metro Detroit women are facing federal charges in connection with a conspiracy that investigators said pumped more than $450,000 in suspected fraudulent pandemic benefits out of Michigan’s unemployment system.
In a federal complaint and arrest warrant unsealed April 22, 2026, investigators said it all started with an online “digital footprint:” an internet address tied to a home in Eastpointe.
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A Special Agent with the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General said in a criminal complaint filed April 17, that Lela Lewis, Letora Liggins and Mesa Allen took part in a scheme that “resulted in the outlay of over $450,000” in suspected fraudulent benefits from March 2020 to approximately October 2021.
Investigators said some claims were filed from an internet address subscribed to Liggins at her Eastpointe home, while other activity traced back to an…
THE BHI TRUST PONZI SCHEME (SOUTH AFRICA)
Date: Ongoing updates through February 2026 Perpetrator: Craig Warriner (Principal), with alleged co-conspirators
Case Description: The BHI Trust scandal remains one of South Africa’s most devastating financial crimes, involving the loss of between R1.9 billion and R3 billion. Craig Warriner, the “genius trader” behind the trust, turned himself in during late 2023, but the legal and recovery battles reached a fever pitch in 2025 and 2026. Warriner operated the trust as a textbook Ponzi scheme, utilizing “Old Boy” networks and high-profile brokers to lure in pensioners and high-net-worth individuals with promises of 20% annual returns.
In early 2025, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) faced heavy criticism for “provisionally withdrawing” charges against alleged co-conspirators Michael Haldane and Sona Pillay. However, civil recovery efforts by joint trustees have continued into 2026, aiming to claw back hundreds of millions in “fictitious profits” from early investors to redistribute to those who lost everything. The case is a masterclass in the failure of fiduciary duty; the FSCA eventually banned several advisors for up to 30 years for peddling the unlicensed scheme despite clear red flags, such as the lack of a website, the absence of regulated financial reports, and a fee structure that was triple the industry average.
Link to Original: Moneyweb – BHI Trust Scandal Deep Dive