EXCLUSIVE: The behavior of a close compatriot of convicted South African rapist and pedophile Dawie de Villiers will be put under the microscope in a Showmax true crime series airing next month.
Convict Conman, which revealed the trailer, traces an investigation by journalist Jana Marx, who receives a tip to investigate Michael O’Connor.
O’Connor claims that de Villiers, who was known as Kempton Park Hugh Hefner and is currently serving a life sentence, is a “good friend” and the program sets out to find out what else they have in common. Marx received a tip about O’Connor – who ran a photography publication and intended to open business and fashion magazines – but the Covid-19 pandemic was in full swing and staff never met him or saw his face. The program also features interviews with Villiers’ victims.
De Villiers, the founder of Modeling South Africa, was found guilty of rape, sexual assault, sexual grooming, fraud, exposing children to pornography and accessing child pornography in February 2017.
Convicted Conman marks the directorial debut of a documentary series from South African film and television award-winning editor Nikki Comninos, who has been nominated for three SAFTAs in the past two years for her work on Steinheist, Devilsdorp It is Murder in Paris.
“We dedicate this series to those Dawie de Villiers hurt and to all survivors of sexual assault,” said Comninos. “I am outraged by Dawie’s actions – and, unfortunately, by the actions of so many men, especially in South Africa, where we live with one of the highest rates of gender-based violence in the world. Convict Conman It will drive you crazy, but it will also warm your heart and make you laugh.”
Devilsdorp production company IdeaCandy is producing and MultiChoice Studios is handling international sales. The show will be released next month.
The news comes a week after Showmax revealed a relaunch, which will take effect in February with a new app and suite of products showcasing, among other things, UK Premier League football. This follows the announcement of a partnership between Showmax and NBCUniversal and Comcast’s Sky earlier this year.
