Mel and Peet Viljoen remain in ICE custody in the US as their retail theft case and immigration status are reviewed.
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Melany “Mel” Viljoen and her husband, Petrus “Peet” Viljoen, are now in the custody of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), following their recent arrest in Florida over alleged retail theft.
The South African couple, who previously appeared on “The Real Housewives of Pretoria”, were initially taken into police custody earlier this month after being accused of stealing goods worth more than $5,000 (about R90,000) from a Publix supermarket in Boca Raton.
Their arrest, which gained more attention after bodycam footage surfaced online, showed officers apprehending the pair separately.
Peet was arrested outside the supermarket, while Mel was taken into custody outside their apartment building.
Both were later charged with organised retail theft, a felony under US law, and released on bail of $10,000 each (about R170,000).
However, their legal troubles have since escalated. According to US authorities, the couple has since been transferred into ICE custody after it was established that they had allegedly overstayed their tourist visas.
“Melany and Petrus Viljoen, illegal aliens from South Africa, were encountered by ICE officers at the Palm Beach County Jail following their arrest by Boca Raton police for aggravated grand retail theft exceeding $3,” an ICE spokesperson told "News24".
“The Viljoens entered the United States on 25 May 2025, as B-2 temporary visitors for pleasure/tourism, but failed to depart by 24 November, violating the conditions of their visa,” they said.
Officials stated that they failed to depart within the specified period, thereby placing them in violation of US immigration laws. As a result, immigration authorities have intervened, and the couple will remain detained while their case is processed.
Mel and Peet are currently being held at separate detention facilities in Florida. Peet is reportedly being held at a facility commonly referred to as “Alligator Alcatraz”, while Mel is being detained at the Broward Transitional Centre.
According to the ICE website, the Broward Transitional Centre holds detainees with no criminal history or a history of nonviolent crimes, and it is also used for migrants seeking asylum.
The couple’s detention follows reports that they carried out a series of incidents over several months, using a method known as “ticket switching” at self-checkout counters.
According to an arrest report, Mel told officers that she resorted to stealing because she was in “survival mode” and had not been able to secure work since moving to the US due to visa restrictions.
Authorities, however, allege that the couple worked together during the incidents, with reports stating they acted in coordination across multiple transactions.
Police records further indicate that more than $5,300 (around R87,000) worth of goods was taken from a Publix store on South Federal Highway in Boca Raton. Items listed include La Marca Prosecco, San Pellegrino sparkling water, Maison Perrier flavoured water and Coca-Cola Zero.
The couple was booked at the Main Detention Centre in West Palm Beach following their arrest before being transferred to ICE custody.
With both criminal charges and immigration violations now in play, the Viljoens could face deportation back to South Africa.
Legal expert Dr Llewelyn Curlewis told “The Citizen” that the charges facing the Viljoens are serious and could ultimately see them being deported to South Africa.
He explained that the legal process would typically need to run its course before any decision is made on their removal.
“Usually, how it works is you commit a crime, then you first have to go through a court case and be found guilty, and then you have to be punished.
“Depending on what punishment is given, they can deport you immediately if they want to save money instead of keeping you there, or they can first insist that you serve your sentence and, after you have served it, deport you back to your country of origin,” he explained.
Curlewis added that a US court may also choose to have the couple serve part of their sentence before deportation.
“All of those options are possible. It is a prerogative within that country’s discretion. Usually, you have to serve your sentence for a while first because they make an example of you and have deterrent value to future foreign criminals.”