Bluff woman guilty of defrauding former employee to be sentenced in the new year
In her plea statement, the woman said she suffered from a compulsive, obsessive gambling disorder, namely a gambling addiction and had to raise money to pay back gambling debts.
A BLUFF woman who pleaded guilty to defrauding her former employer of millions of rands will only be sentenced in January next year.
Cindy Saunders, 37, together with her co-accused, Terrence Raju, and two companies which he represented, South Continent Logistics and Troy Trans, are accused of defrauding her former employer, Nicholson Shipping, between 2017 and 2019.
They are also accused of defrauding another company.
Saunders, who worked as an export controller at Nicholson Shipping, pleaded guilty to 45 counts of fraud in February last year.
ALSO READ: Bluff shipping con artist swindles millions
According to her plea statement, Saunders said she suffered from a compulsive, obsessive gambling disorder, namely a gambling addiction and had to raise money to pay back gambling debts.
She said she resolved to defraud her former employer in order to raise the money.
Saunders said she could not perpetrate the crimes on her own, and therefore she approached Raju, to assist her to commit the acts of fraud.
She said he would also facilitate the transfer of money into and out of the accounts of South Continent Logistics and Troy Trans for her benefit.
Saunders said her co-accused also benefited financially from the fraud committed.
ALSO READ: KZN police warn of tender fraud scam
According to the plea, Saunders said she and Raju continued to misrepresent that South Continent Logistics and Troy Trans, had sold containers and rendered services to her former employer amounting to millions of rands.
Saunders said she was paid the amount R11 432 527. 52 by South Continent Logistics and Troy Trans, through the assistance of Raju, from the monies paid to them by her former employer. She in turn paid Raju, the amount of R604 000.
Natasha Ramkissoon-Kara, the KwaZulu-Natal National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, said Saunders appeared in the Durban Specialised Commercial Crime Court on November 3, and the matter was remanded to January 12.
“The pre-sentencing documents and arguments were handed into the court, and the matter was set down for sentencing next year,” she said.
For more Southlands Sun news, follow us on Facebook or Twitter. You can also follow us on Instagram.
