HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – An Ewa Beach couple is heading to federal prison in connection with a nationwide tax refund fraud scheme.
Beverly Braumuller-Hawver was sentenced to two years, while her husband, Scott Hawver, received 16 months. The couple must also pay $182,438.27 in restitution.
Prosecutors say the pair used fake tax documents to trick the IRS into issuing them a $192,845 refund they were not entitled to.
They then moved much of the money into another account and used some of it to buy gold and silver coins.
Evidence during the trial showed the couple paid someone to fabricate tax paperwork between February 2015 and November 2018.
The Justice Department says the Hawvers are among more than 200 defendants involved in the same scheme across 19 states.
Rosemarie Lastimado-Dradi was sentenced to nine years in prison in 2022 for her role in organizing the scheme for Hawaii…
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