Created: Oct 18, 2026 08:15 AM
Guilty plea: Josh Wander, co-founder of 777 Partners, leaves federal court in New York after admitting fraud (Photograph by Yuki Iwamura/AP)
Josh Wander, the cofounder of 777 Partners, admitted to fraud in connection with what federal prosecutors said was a scheme to bilk lenders and investors out of at least $500 million before the firm collapsed.
Wander, who was set to go on trial next week in New York, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and securities fraud before US District Judge J. Paul Oetken as part of an agreement with prosecutors that includes forfeiting at least $500 million. Wander, 45, is scheduled to be sentenced on March 1 in Manhattan. Each count carries a maximum of 20 years behind bars.
The admission comes three years after the Bermuda Monetary Authority intervened at 777 Re – a reinsurer whose ultimate backer…
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