Legacy Morita Forestry adverts and images still available on the internet even though the company's website has been taken down.
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) has distanced itself from Morita Forestry following media reports alleging the company scammed South Africans out of hundreds of millions of rands through a forestry investment scheme.
The department said it had no formal or official relationship with Morita Forestry and would consider legal action over what it described as the apparent unauthorised use of its name, programmes and officials to advance the company's interests.
The response follows investigations by GroundUp and News24, which reported that Morita Forestry allegedly promised investors daily returns from purported woodland projects in the United States.
GroundUp also reported that Morita Forestry was not authorised by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority to provide financial services in South Africa. It said that it had sent questions to the company before publication but received no response.
