TAMPA, Fla. (WWSB) – An Apollo Beach man has been indicted on charges of COVID-19 fraud by filing false federal loan applications in 2020 and 2021, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Monday.
Caleb Walsh, 36, has been charged with bank fraud, wire fraud and illegal monetary transactions. If convicted on all counts, he faces 30 years in federal prison.
Prosecutors are also seeking to seize a Mercedes Benz G-Wagon, a hotel in Nebraska, and cryptocurrency, which are alleged to be traceable to illegal proceeds.
According to the indictment, between March 2020 and March 2021, Walsh allegedly devised a scheme to defraud multiple financial institutions by submitting false and fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan applications in the names of companies that he controlled.
More Lakewood Ranch residents hit by check washing scheme
Walsh is accused of misrepresenting the number of employees and…
THE ISUZU MOTORS PAYROLL FRAUD (GQEBERHA, SA)
Date: February 16, 2026 Perpetrator: Natasja Slabbert (42)
Case Description: In a case that hit home for the Eastern Cape business community, Natasja Slabbert, a payroll administrator at Isuzu Motors South Africa’s Struandale plant, was arrested for an alleged R10.5 million fraud. The scheme, which began surfacing in late 2024, exploited the very systems designed to manage employee compensation. Slabbert allegedly manipulated payroll records to create false entries that appeared as legitimate deductions and contributions on employee payslips. In reality, these “deductions” were being diverted into her personal bank account.
The fraud was only uncovered after diligent employees noticed that their net “take-home” pay was significantly lower than expected, despite the gross amounts on their payslips remaining high. Following a thorough probe by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team and the NPA’s Specialised Commercial Crime Unit, it was discovered that in August 2024 alone, over R626,000 was unlawfully transferred. Slabbert was granted bail of R5,000 on February 17, 2026, and the case has been postponed to later in the month for further legal proceedings. This case highlights the critical need for “segregation of duties” in payroll departments, as a single point of failure allowed for the systematic siphoning of millions over nearly two years.
Link to Original: PE Express – Isuzu Payroll Fraud
