GAUTENG — A former attorney, Solomon Slom, has been sentenced to 10 years of direct imprisonment for the theft and money laundering of R39 million from a client’s trust fund. The sentencing by the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court concludes a major commercial crime investigation in Johannesburg involving the 82-year-old former legal practitioner.
Slom, who was attached to Fluxman Attorneys, was mandated to administer a client account holding approximately R45 million. An internal audit conducted by his business partner uncovered that Slom had illicitly transferred R39 million into his personal bank accounts across more than 140 transactions between January 2019 and January 2024. Upon the discovery of the misappropriation, the accused tendered his resignation with immediate effect.
A formal case was registered at the Rosebank Police Station in February 2024 and subsequently allocated to the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit in Johannesburg. According to the investigating authorities, Slom handed himself over to law enforcement on 26 August 2024. He was arrested and released on the same day after posting R50,000 bail for the misappropriation of the trust funds.
The legal proceedings culminated in Slom’s conviction on 5 June 2026. On 8 July 2026, the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court handed down sentences on 290 counts in total. He received 10 years’ direct imprisonment for Counts 1 to 145 (theft) and an additional 10 years’ direct imprisonment for Counts 146 to 290 (money laundering).
In accordance with Section 280 of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977, the court ordered that the sentence for the money laundering charges will run concurrently with the sentence imposed for the theft charges. Consequently, the 82-year-old former attorney will serve an effective sentence of 10 years’ direct imprisonment.
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