CHICAGO — A former Chicago school principal and two others have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in procurement fraud schemes that defrauded a pair of school systems and a non-profit organization out of more than $1 million.
BRIAN METCALF, KIMBERLY MADDOX, and JAMES DARNELL CAMPBELL schemed to illegally profit from various roles Metcalf held in school systems in Chicago and Indianapolis, as well as a non-profit corporation. Over the course of nearly ten years, Metcalf and Maddox falsely claimed that Maddox or her spouse were providing services to the schools and the non-profit corporation, when in reality, no such services were provided. As a result of Metcalf’s and Maddox’s fraud, the school systems and the non-profit organization paid Maddox nearly $700,000, which she split with Metcalf.
While Metcalf and Maddox were engaging in their fraud, Campbell, who worked as…
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