SALT LAKE CITY — Former Utah Rep. Trevor Lee was ordered to appear in court on Oct. 28 after being charged with four felonies, including communications fraud and mortgage fraud.
Lee’s first court appearance is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. that day. The former lawmaker was ordered to appear at the Salt Lake County jail ahead of his appearance to be booked, then “immediately released” pending his court appearance, according to an official summons.
Charges filed last week in Utah’s 3rd District Court accused Lee, 35, of communications fraud and mortgage fraud, second-degree felonies; and forgery and having a forging device, third-degree felonies.
Lee, a Republican, resigned from the House of Representatives shortly after charges were filed. He had represented House District 16 in Davis County since 2023.
Attorneys for Lee filed initial documents with the court on Monday. He will be represented…
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