The owner of Florida-based sports development company
50-Plus-1 now faces federal fraud and money laundering charges for a $6 million
scheme.
The company’s failed $70-million
deal with Saint Augustine’s University would have leased the school’s property
for mixed-use development. In a similar agreement, prosecutors say owner Lamonica
“Monti” Valrie defrauded another historically Black university, Allen
University in South Carolina.
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Like St. Aug’s, Allen University is a small, private,
church-founded HBCU. Prosecutors say Valrie originally promised to build Allen
University a football…
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