From fine wine to fraud claims as a R20m iGoli dream turns toxic (opens original article in a new tab)

A R20m financial dispute emerged when entrepreneur Sherwin Sampson allegedly defrauded British business partners who were developing a South African wine bar in London, leading to civil litigation and police investigations.

• British business partners Ella Spira and Pietra De Mello-Pittman faced a R20m financial dispute after entrepreneur Sherwin Sampson allegedly defrauded them by taking upfront deposits without securing funding for their iGoli wine bar venture.
• Sampson, introduced through a business advisor, convinced the partners to increase their loan requirement from R10.5m to R20m, leading to significant financial losses and legal action including civil litigation and fraud charges.
• Despite a court judgment ordering Sampson to repay R918,610.13, no payments have been made, and a police investigation into fraud is ongoing with no arrests yet.