The King County Office of the Ombuds, an independent organization within King County government, found nearly $700,000 in questionable costs across 16 of the 19 community partners reviewed as part of a 2025 audit into the King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS).
“Waste, fraud, or abuse likely occurred in some cases and cannot be ruled out in others without additional investigation,” a news release from King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn stated Tuesday.
The report, prepared by Bellevue accounting firm Clark Nuber PS, examined compliance concerns related to contracts with community partners in four DCHS youth and diversion programs: Family Intervention and Restorative Services, Liberation and Healing from Systemic Racism, Restorative Community Pathways, and Stopping the School-to-Prison Pipeline.
The review found $690,617 in questioned costs related to stipends…
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