Gauteng Woman Arrested for Defrauding Her Former Employer of R15 Million Over a 5-Year Period

• A Gauteng woman's glory days of stealing from her employer, Mine and Metals Group-SA, have caught up with her
• Lerato Patricia Mufamadi appeared at the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court for defrauding her ex-employer of R12 million
• Mufamadi was employed as an executive assistant and office administrator, which put her in a unique position to cook the books

JOHANNESBURG - A 40-year-old Gauteng woman is in police custody for allegedly defrauding her former employer, Mine and Metals Group-SA, of R12 million.

Lerato Patricia Mufamadi appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Johannesburg on Wednesday, 5 April.

Lerato Patricia Mufamadi defrauded her former employer over a 5-year period

According to the Hawks spokesperson in Gauteng, Captain Lloyd Ramovha, Mufamadi worked as an executive assistant and office administrator for the Rosebank company.

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She handled petty cash consolidations and processed the company's supplier invoices. According to IOL, Mufamadi's scheme to defraud her employer took place over a period of five years, from May 2017 to October 2021.

Lerato Patricia Mufamadi falsified banking details to defraud employer of R12 million

Mufamadi would change suppliers' banking details on invoices to hers.

“Invoices were processed for payments that ended up in her bank account for self-gain," said Ramovoha.

According to News24, Mufamadi's case has been postponed until Tuesday, 11 April, for her bail hearing. She remains in police custody until then.

10 People arrested for defrauding SASSA of R1.8 million

Briefly News previously reported that 10 people were arrested for defrauding the South African Social Services Agency (Sassa). They appeared in the Malmesbury Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, 15 February.

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The suspects, aged 27 to 58, were apprehended on 13 and 14 February. The investigation began in April 2022, following allegations that a group of individuals defrauded the agency.

Police spokesperson Bonnie Nxumalo told The Citizen that the Eastern Cape and Western Cape individuals allegedly submitted fraudulent medical documents to apply for disability grants at the Sassa offices in Malmesbury.

Nxumalo said the suspects were allegedly assisted by another person who is not a Sassa or health official who ‘recruited’ the individuals for a fee.

Source: Briefly News