Touws River pastor and alleged Ponzi scheme mastermind David “Oompie” Cupido has successfully turned his "investors" on each other, says one of his victims following a meeting at the home of the 4th Power Investment director.
Worcester resident Rodney Visagie said he and many of the local investors had gone to Cupido’s home after he again failed to pay the victims on December5, a date of his own choosing.
“He is creating conflict among the investors while he is not providing any answers as to why he is not making any payouts.
"People are not stupid and can see how this man and his family are living, and his rejection of the legal options given to him is going to backfire,” he said.
Visagie said Cupido accused him and other investors of turning on him and going to the Hawks, turning the crowd against them.
He said they only intended to provide options to Cupido or to force him to openly tell the investors why he had not made payouts.
Cupido stopped paying investors in September last year after the Hawks raided his offices for accepting cash deposits, despite not being registered with and licensed by the Financial Services Board (FSB).
In November, investors took it upon themselves to get a letter from the Hawks which corresponded with FSB confirming that even without licensing, 4th Power could proceed with payouts to “investors”.
Touws River resident Franswa Pietersen said investors badgered him to help in the matter, despite how it had cost him his home and placed severe strain on his family.
He said all they wanted was Cupido to pay out what was owed them, or they would have to turn to the courts to make him do so.
Cupido and his spokesperson, Ronel Pullin, did not respond to messages and calls by deadline yesterday.
However, Cupido did post a video on the 4th Power Facebook page on Tuesday promising investors that a solution was at hand, but that it was a question of “how much” and not when payouts would occur.
Cupido said he would conduct his business "his way" as the Hawks were “at his door”, and he did not trust Pietersen and Visagie or the “solutions” they had brought to him.