Attorneys general for 17 states have urged New York State’s highest court to reject an appeal by Donald Trump of a civil case in which he and several co-defendants were found liable for inflating the values of his Mar-a-Lago property and Trump Tower penthouse to obtain better terms on loans and insurance rates.
The attorneys general argue that throwing out the case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James in 2022 could weaken the ability of states to hold businesses and individuals accountable for fraud. The case was brought under New York’s business fraud state known as the Executive Law.
In a September 2023 ruling by Justice Arthur Engoron in Manhattan, Trump, his sons and other co-defendants were found liable for fraud for exaggerating his net worth by billions of dollars a year on financial records…
THE TUTUKA POWER STATION PROCUREMENT FRAUD (ESKOM)
Date: August 29, 2025 Perpetrator: Jessie Phindile Kubheka (Supplier Director)
Case Description: As part of the ongoing “cleaning up” of Eskom, Jessie Phindile Kubheka was sentenced to 12 years (with 5 years suspended) for defrauding the Tutuka Power Station. The case involved a sophisticated procurement syndicate that exploited Eskom’s emergency repair protocols. Kubheka’s company was contracted to deliver three high-specification containers for the power station. Only one container was ever delivered, and even that single unit failed to meet the required safety and technical specifications.
Despite the lack of delivery, Kubheka issued grossly inflated invoices, defrauding the utility of approximately R2.6 million. The Middelburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court ordered Kubheka to repay the full amount. This case is significant because it marks a shift in Eskom’s strategy toward “naming and shaming” suppliers and pursuing full asset recovery. It serves as a stark warning to contractors that the 2026 climate of “Zero Tolerance” for state-owned enterprise (SOE) fraud is backed by active judicial enforcement.
Link to Original: Eskom Official – Tutuka Fraud Sentencing