NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James and a bipartisan coalition of 45 other attorneys general today secured $45 million from Block, Inc. (Block), the company behind the popular peer-to-peer payments app Cash App, for misleading its users and failing to protect them from scams and fraud. Attorney General James and the coalition allege that Block failed to help users when they were scammed, misled consumers about the safety of Cash App, and failed to provide the fraud protection and resolution that it promised and was required to provide by law. As part of the settlement with Attorney General James and the coalition, Block must implement changes to protect users from fraud, ensure users have access to live customer service agents, and stop all misleading marketing. Block must also pay $1.6 million in penalties to New York.
“New Yorkers were promised that Cash App was a…
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