Democratic senators sharply questioned President Donald Trump’s pick to run a new Department of Justice (DOJ) division focused on fraud, doubting the real aim of the new unit and its independence from the White House.
The White House announced the creation of a National Fraud Enforcement Division within the DOJ in January, saying it would focus on “rampant fraud” across the country allegedly driven by immigrants.
As thousands of ICE and CBP agents flooded Minnesota, sparking vociferous opposition from Democratic state officials and widespread public demonstrations, the Trump administration glommed onto a New York Times report on a fraud scheme there. Even though the plot — led by a white American citizen — was already being prosecuted, the White House claimed it as evidence of Somali migrants’ widespread abuse of welfare programs.
Announcing the new unit, Vice President J.D. Vance…
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