Tommy Taylor SA Owners and Real Housewives Couple Arrested in $5K Publix Theft Scheme

Tommy Taylor SA Owners and Real Housewives Couple Arrested in $5K Publix Theft Scheme. A couple known for their appearances on the Real Housewives of Pretoria and ownership ties to Tommy Taylor SA has been arrested in connection with a six-month retail theft scheme targeting a Publix supermarket.

According to arrest affidavits, Melany Viljoen, 39, and her husband, Petrus “Peet” Jacobus Viljoen, 57, were taken into custody on March 10 after Boca Raton police stopped their black Range Rover, the same vehicle investigators linked to dozens of theft incidents. Surveillance footage reportedly showed both individuals participating in the scheme, contradicting Melany Viljoen’s claim that she acted alone. She told detectives she was in “survival mode” and unable to work in the U.S. due to visa restrictions. Peet Viljoen denied intentional theft despite being confronted with video evidence.

Police reported that Publix suffered a total loss of $5,302, and both suspects now face charges of aggravated grand retail theft over $3,000 under Florida law.

The arrests add to a growing list of legal troubles for the couple. In South Africa, Johannesburg businesswoman Lebohang Hlathuka recently won a case against Tammy Taylor Global Franchising, operated by the Viljoens. The Pretoria High Court ruled that the pair misrepresented themselves and fraudulently sold her a Tammy Taylor nail salon franchise. Judge Joseph Raulinga ordered the Viljoens to cease all use of the Tammy Taylor trademark and remove references from websites, stationery, products, and social media within 30 days of the April 25 ruling.

This judgment follows a $100 million lawsuit filed in April 2023 by Tammy Taylor, the U.S. founder of the brand, accusing the Viljoens of unlawfully continuing to use her trademarks after their licensing agreement expired.

The couple’s dual controversies — the Publix theft scheme in Florida and the franchise disputes in South Africa — highlight mounting challenges for the embattled business figures. While they have publicly defended their role in developing the Tammy Taylor brand in South Africa, courts have consistently sided against them.

With criminal charges now pending in the United States and ongoing franchise litigation in South Africa, the Viljoens face scrutiny on two continents, linking their reality television fame and business ventures to a series of high-profile legal battles.