Viljoen scandal – Peet in notorious US ‘Alligator Alcatraz’, Melany in another ICE centre

Melany and Peet Viljoen portrayed themselves as living it up in the US, but following their arrests for alleged shoplifting, they are now detained in controversial immigration centres there.

The couple, from South Africa, were taken into police custody in Florida last week on charges related to shoplifting.

News of their arrests has spread, with both South African and American publications reporting on it.

On Monday, 16 March 2026, Daily Maverick established that both the Viljoens were in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody.

They were reportedly in the US unlawfully and now face deportation back to South Africa after the case against them concludes.

Under Donald Trump’s administration, ICE activities have become highly controversial, with reports of rogue and unlawful operations.

A Daily Maverick search on ICE’s online detainee locator platform showed that the Viljoens were being held in separate facilities in Florida.

‘Alligator Alcatraz’ and human rights abuses

Melany was in the Broward Transitional Centre.

Last year, a Human Rights Watch report listed it as among three where thousands of people had been held “under conditions that flagrantly violate international human rights standards and the United States government’s own immigration detention standards”.

The address provided for the facility Peet was being held in is the same as that for one dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.”

Amnesty International last year released a report on two ICE detention facilities, one being Alligator Alcatraz.

“The research concluded that people arbitrarily detained in Alligator Alcatraz are living in inhuman and unsanitary conditions including overflowing toilets with fecal matter seeping into where people are sleeping, limited access to showers, exposure to insects without protective measures, lights on 24 hours a day, poor quality food and water, and lack of privacy – including cameras above the toilets,” Amnesty International said.

Negative reports saw the US Department of Homeland Security react last year, with an official saying, “No faeces are overflowing from toilets. Just like no one has died.

“Incinerators are not being used for nefarious purposes. These types of smears are directly contributing to our ICE officers facing a 1,000% increase in assaults against them.”

Before their arrests, Melany and Peet tried to create the impression that they were celebrities – Melany previously featured on the reality show, The Real Housewives of Pretoria.

Racism and lies

They peddled lies that Trump has amplified, that white Afrikaner people are specifically being persecuted in South Africa.

Last year, Peet told the publication Rapport that: “There is no doubt in my mind that I am a racist and hate South African black people.”

Melany, speaking to sister publication News24, tried to clarify this by saying, “We hate corrupt black people, that’s what we said.”

A video posted to Peet’s Facebook page showed her saying that Trump was “right about everything.”

In an accent with a slight American lilt, Melany also said: “I’m from South Africa, where there are race laws against white people and where white people are being killed, and the news doesn’t want to write about it.” (“The news” is now writing about her and her husband’s arrest.)

These were among the reasons Melany and Peet gave for relocating to the US.

She told News24 last year that her career was on track as she was “shooting in Hollywood”.

It now appears this was unlikely, as Melany allegedly told US police she has been unable to work there due to visa issues.

Arrested

Melany interacted with police officers after she and Peet were arrested in Florida last Tuesday, 10 March 2026. Daily Maverick has reported that a shoplifting investigation that started in August last year led to the case against them.

It was also reported that they had experienced other money and legal troubles, some linked to South Africa and the US.

They faced legal action relating to the Tammy Taylor Nails franchise.

The couple, it emerged in the US last week, allegedly stole thousands of dollars’ worth of goods from a Publix supermarket.

Mel and Peet Viljoen arrest — Carte Blanche.

Peet, according to a police affidavit in the matter, had not admitted to this. Melany allegedly said she had acted alone.

“She stated she was stealing because she was in ‘survival mode’ and has not worked since [coming] to the US due to not having a visa,” the affidavit said.

Zero income and ‘stay away’

Daily Maverick has obtained various official court documents relating to the criminal matter in which the couple is now implicated.

Based on those, they made their first court appearance in Palm Beach on Wednesday, 11 March, and are expected back in the dock on 9 April.

An “initial case conference” is set down for 30 April.

It does not appear that Peet and Melany have paid their bail of US$10,000 each, and if they do, it is not clear how this will affect their ICE detention.

A document that Peet signed, dated 11 March, and headed “Application for Criminal Indigent Status,” says he wants a “public defender” to represent him.

In this document, he says he has “0” dependants and that “I have a take home income of 0 dollars”.

The zero is handwritten while the rest is typed.

Based on this document, it appears he has 15,000 (presumably US dollars) in his bank account and 20,000 in “equity in motor vehicles”.

It found that he was “not indigent”.

An “order of no contact” was also made against Peet and Melany.

It identified the “victim” in their case as Publix, the supermarket chain store they allegedly stole from.

The couple is “prohibited from being within 500 feet of” all Publix stores until the case against them concludes.

Shopping list

US police alleged they had removed price tags or barcodes from cheaper items and placed them on more expensive items.

According to the police affidavit in the case, the couple had been to the store again earlier this month, on Sunday, 8 March.

“Peet selected two bottles of La Marca Prosecco Sparkling Wine ($34.99 each), one package of Charmin Toilet Paper ($17.19), one case of Sanpellegrino Mineral Water ($29.99), one case of Maison Perrier Forever Lime Sparkling Water ($16.39) and one 12 pack of Coca-Cola Zero ($11.99),” it said.

“Melany then meets up with Peet on aisle 5 and places an organic banana bunch ($2.73), a bag of beets ($3.99) and a bag of Publix Gold Potatoes ($7.19) into the cart.”

Police had monitored their “purchases” over time, and these formed the basis of their arrests, which have now led to them being detained in ICE facilities. DM