South African couple Melany and Peet Viljoen, arrested last month for alleged theft from a Florida Publix supermarket, have pleaded not guilty to aggravated grand retail theft. They remain detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) despite bail, facing potential deportation.
In the first update to their case since the March 10, 2026, arrest in Boca Raton, Florida—detailed in prior coverage—the Viljoens pleaded not guilty on April 9 in Palm Beach court, represented by a lawyer as they could not appear in person due to ICE custody.
Arrested for 'ticket switching' on over $3,000 worth of goods across multiple visits since August 2025, they were initially granted bail but cannot be released. A court order also bans them from entering within 500 feet of any Publix stores.
Their immigration status has complicated matters: lacking proper paperwork, they face deportation to South Africa. Melany was transferred from Broward Transitional Centre to the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Colorado as of April 13. Peet moved from 'Alligator Alcatraz' to the California City Corrections Centre, described by detainees in The Guardian as a 'torture chamber' and 'hell on earth.'
The couple, known for Melany's role on The Real Housewives of Pretoria and their social media activity promoting narratives of Afrikaner persecution amplified by Donald Trump, had expressed enthusiasm for US life before the arrests.
