South African Woman Gets 50-Year Jail Term for Stealing $28 Million from Employer
A South African woman, Hildegard Steenkamp, was sentenced to 50 years in prison for embezzling $28 million over 13 years from the healthcare company where she worked as an accountant.
She admitted to 336 counts of fraud and claimed her late abusive husband forced her into the theft, a defense the magistrate rejected.
Instead, Steenkamp was found to have funded a lavish lifestyle, including extravagant gambling, jewelry purchases, and frequent trips to Dubai.
The court learned she spent $263,000 in one casino night and nearly $1.6 million on international travel. Steenkamp, who resigned in 2017, manipulated the company’s database to divert funds to her husband’s account. She turned herself in 2018, received bail, and pleaded guilty this year.
This shocking case underscores the magnitude of individual embezzlement and its far-reaching consequences.
Source: BBC News
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-67663773