Joseph Safra: The life and death of a notorious swindler

The notorious conman and swindler Joseph Safra, who recently adopted the name Dr. Jonathan Rothschild, has passed away.

According to reports, his family confirmed the news of his death, leaving many questions about his mysterious and fraudulent past.

Safra, who garnered attention in the media for his alleged high-profile relationships, was most notably linked to South African Afro Pop singer Vusi Nova, who is famous for the hit "Ndikuthandile."

The two were reportedly in a romantic relationship, with Safra's name frequently appearing in the tabloids.

However, Safra's real legacy was far darker. He became infamous for deceiving A-list celebrities and top business executives, along with running a global employment scam under the name of Safra Group.

The so-called businessman promised lucrative employment packages, offering salaries as high as R65,000 per month to unsuspecting victims. Safra’s operation seemed legitimate to many, but authorities eventually exposed the scam, leading to his arrest.

In 2011, Safra was charged with defrauding the late South African businessman Leon Kruger and his wife, Catharina Johanna Kruger, out of nearly R1 million between 2011 and 2014.

According to investigators, Safra had created an elaborate fake persona as a wealthy "Brazilian billionaire" named Dr. Joseph Safra Sr. He allegedly presented himself as the chairperson of Safrasa Investments, with Vusi Nova purportedly serving as the managing director of the fake company. The two were arrested in 2011, though Vusi Nova was later released due to lack of evidence.

While the scandal brought Safra significant infamy, it didn’t seem to deter him.

After his release from prison in 2023, he allegedly resumed his fraudulent activities, continuing to use the Rothschild name to further his schemes. Safra’s life was a web of deception, where he maintained lavish relationships with famous men and often flaunted his romantic entanglements in the public eye. Those close to him described him as a "romantic" and claimed he had a fondness for “cute and famous” boyfriends, whom he often showered with expensive gifts.

As for his personal life, little is known about who Safra was romantically involved with at the time of his death, or who will inherit the fortune he allegedly amassed. Despite his criminal activities, Safra’s ability to charm and manipulate his way into the lives of the rich and famous remained his most well-known trait.

While his death marks the end of an era of scandal and deceit, questions linger over the true extent of Safra's operations, his connections to prominent figures, and whether his alleged victims will ever fully recover the money he swindled.

IOL