The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is touting major savings from analytics-driven program integrity efforts, while an Education Department official says a “real-time identity fraud detection” capability for student aid applications is on track to prevent $1.2 billion worth of fraud.
CMS and Education are the latest agencies to highlight data-driven efforts to prevent fraud and improper payments, rather than relying on the “pay-and-chase” model. The White House earlier this year launched a White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud focused on agencies that provide public-facing benefits and services.
During a Nov. 5 webinar hosted by NextGov, Bethany Messick, deputy director of the data analytics and systems group within CMS’s Center for Program Integrity, said the center achieved $42 billion in annual savings as part of roughly $2 trillion in yearly Medicare and Medicaid…
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