Ohio Governor Mike DeWine
Fraud Prevention Month: Ohioans Urged to Protect Themselves from Insurance Fraud and Report Scams
Article Presented By Hometown-Motors, Inc. …
COLUMBUS — Governor Mike DeWine has declared April as Fraud Prevention Month in Ohio and Department of Insurance Director Judith L. French is urging Ohioans to protect themselves from insurance fraud, one of the most prevalent crimes in the United States.
Insurance fraud costs consumers and businesses billions of dollars each year. According to the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, insurance fraud creates a $308.6 billion annual economic burden, totaling $932 for every American and more than $70,000 over an average lifetime.
“Insurance fraud occurs in many forms and impacts all of us by making insurance more expensive,” French said. “I encourage Ohioans to learn the warning signs….
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