BOSTON – A Gardner woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to fraudulently receiving Social Security disability benefits.
Leidy E. Otero, 43, pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of stolen government money or property and one count of Social Security fraud – concealment. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for Aug. 27, 2026. Otero was charged in April 2026.
In 2011, Otero applied for and began receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) as the representative payee for two other individuals based on Otero’s limited income and resources. In assessing a married individual’s eligibility for SSI, the income and resources of the applicant’s spouse is considered if they live together. If an applicant is awarded SSI, they have a continuing obligation to notify SSA of any…
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