Peet Viljoen Explains Why He Cannot Return to the United States and Shares Details of His Finances

• Peet Viljoen returned to court for the commencement of his bail application in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court
• He claimed he is not a flight risk and shared why he cannot return to the United States for at least 10 years, and shared his alleged net worth
• His court claims sparked widespread reactions online, with some questioning why the couple sought public donations if they allegedly have significant assets

Former reality TV star Peet Viljoen has revealed why he cannot return to the United States and how much money he and his wife, Mel Viljoen, have. The former Real Housewives of Pretoria star made the revelations when he returned to the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.

Peet appeared before the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday, 8 July 2026, as his bail application officially got underway. The hearing had initially been set for Friday, 26 June 2026, but was postponed after changes to his legal team.

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Peet Viljoen shares why he can't return to the US

During the proceedings, Peet argued that he should be released on bail because he is not a flight risk. As part of his argument, he explained that returning to the United States is not an option, claiming he is prohibited from entering the country for at least 10 years because of an agreement. According to an update shared by eNCA journalist Sli Sebata, who attended the court proceedings, Peet told the court that the agreement prevents him from returning to the US during that period.

Peet and Mel Viljoen were deported from the United States after he spent almost three months in the California City detention centre operated by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). His deportation followed an unsuccessful attempt to secure voluntary departure after Judge Vikram Badrinath ruled that an outstanding criminal case prevented the request from being granted.

Peet Viljoen opens up about his finances

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Mel Viljoen accused of hiring "Rent-a-Crowd" to support Peet outside court

During the bail application proceedings, Peet Viljoen also claimed he and his wife, Mel Viljoen, possess R6 million worth of stock in beauty products. The claim comes after Mel Viljoen asked for donations for his legal fees, not once but twice, after BackaBuddy shut down the first crowdfunding campaign.

Read Sli Sebata’s full update posted on X (Twitter) below:

SA reacts after Peet Viljoen shares his finances

Peet Viljoen’s explanation of why he cannot return to the United States and his alleged net worth sparked a flurry of reactions online.

Here are some of the comments:

@Life___Love___ said:

“His recent troubles have aged him 😭😭 and doesn’t he have other clothes? He’s been wearing this tracksuit since landing from the US.”

@Sunflowerreal suggested:

“How about they start paying people their money.”

@Techno_Count remarked:

“Perfect business ideas for the prison market, Peet and Mel. Bye.”

@mstamaar asked:

“Then why are they crowdfunding?”

Peet and Mel Viljoen face arrest if they return to the US

Meanwhile, Briefly News previously reported that Peet and Mel Viljoen risk being arrested should they ever set foot in the United States again.

This comes after a US court issued bench warrants against the controversial South African couple.

Source: Briefly News