defrauding

Linda Ebersohn, 59, pleaded guilty for 867 counts of theft for defrauding her employer. PHOTO: Hawks

Woman sentenced for defrauding her employer since 1998

For more than 20 years, she was defrauding her employer by depositing creditors’ money into her own bank account.

defrauding

Linda Ebersohn, 59, pleaded guilty for 867 counts of theft for defrauding her employer. PHOTO: Hawks

A woman has been sentenced for defrauding her employer for over 21 years. She started committing fraud between 1998 and 2017.

Linda Ebersohn, 59, pleaded guilty for 867 counts of theft, the Hawks said.

WOMAN DEFRAUDS EMPLOYERS FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES

Ebersohn committed fraud over a period of 21 years as a debtors and creditors clerk at the company of her employment.

Her modus operandi was using existing creditors’ details on the system but instead made payments into her personal bank account, said Hawks spokesperson Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi.

“She further distributed the money to her husband and two children’s accounts.”

Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi

The fraud was reported to the Hawk’s Serious Commercial Crime investigation unit based in Middelburg.

“The investigation was completed and the accused was linked to the crime.”

ALSO READ: Alleged Eskom fraudsters and wives arrested for over R500m irregular tender

HAWKS FINALLY NAB FRAUDSTER AND HER FAMILY

In November 2018, the woman was arrested along with her family who shared the stolen money. They appeared in court and were charged the following day.

But during the sentencing on Friday, the charges against her two children and her husband were withdrawn. This after Ebersohn pleaded guilty before the Middelburg Regional Court, said Sekgotodi.

defrauding
The woman pleaded guilty to the theft and defrauding her employer at the Middelburg Regional Court. PHOTO: Facebook/Middelburg Magistrate’s Court

She was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment, five of which are suspended. This is on condition she is not convicted of an offence related to dishonesty during the suspension period.

“The Hawks’ Provincial Head, Major General Zodwa Mokoena cherished the investigating officer and the prosecuting authority for securing such a sentence which will serve as a lesson to other thieves that their wrongful deeds will catch up with them,” Sekgotodi said.

ALSO READ: NPO “hijacker” sentenced for defrauding National Lotteries Commission

MOTHER OF TWO SENTENCED FOR DEFRAUDING COSMETIC PRODUCT MANUFACTURER

Meanwhile, a mother of two is in jail after being handed a two-year sentence for defrauding a cosmetic company of R4 million.

Debbie Buitendag, 40, was employed as a creditors clerk at Amka Products. The company manufactures popular cosmetic brands such as Black Like Me, Satiskin and Clere Products.

With a similar modus operandi to Ebersohn, she changed the banking details of a company that does business with Amka Products. She instead replaced it with her own Standard Bank account. She then used some of the R4 million to buy her husband a Ford Ranger.

ALSO READ: Mother of two sentenced for defrauding Black Like Me manufacturer