LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Attorneys for Joshua Allen have filed a motion asking a federal judge to release him on bond until sentencing, according to new court filings in the Ferrum Capital investment fraud case.
Allen and Michael Cox, both of Lubbock, were convicted last month on all four felony counts for running a fraud scheme through their company, Ferrum Capital. A federal jury found the two men solicited hundreds of investors, promising safe, secure returns, then used much of that money to pay earlier investors and themselves.
U.S. District Judge Fred Biery ordered both men taken into custody immediately after the verdict. Both are due back in court Dec. 10 to be sentenced.
View our previous coverage here.
Allen’s motion cites family circumstances
Allen’s attorneys argue he is not a flight risk, saying he has surrendered his passport and complied with every court order so far. The…
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