Convict Conman follows the investigation of a photographer accused of sexual assault as well as a mysterious publisher who may also have been directly involved in these crimes.
In 2012, journalist Sasha Wein received a tip-off to look into Dawie de Villiers, a photographer and founder of Modelling South Africa. Dawie de Villiers was accused of fraud and numerous cases of sexual misconduct towards aspiring models, some under the age of 16. He was described as “a sophisticated predator” and often referred to as the “Kempton Park Hugh Hefner”.
de Villiers was sentenced to life in prison for his crimes. Incredibly, nine years after the investigation started and de Villiers was already serving his sentence, investigative journalist Jana Marx (known for her role in the Devilsdorp cases), received a tip-off to also investigate Michael O’Connor. O’Connor ran a photography publication and was looking to start business and fashion magazines. However, as this was during the COVID pandemic, his staff did not meet him or even seen his face. O’Connor also claimed that de Villiers was a close friend, which added a whole new dimension to the investigation and prompted Jana Marx to ask just how much the two figures have in common.
Convict Conman is produced by IdeaCandy, the production company behind Showmax record-breakers Devilsdorp, Rosemary’s Hitlist, and Steinheist.
With two hard-hitting episodes, Convict Conman is ideal for streaming in a single night and serves as another unmissable South African true crime story.
Find out more about the two-part docuseries here.
