S.Africa: Business: Huge fraud at Blue Label Telecoms uncovered

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[Don't trust business either here in SA. Jan]

Blue Label Telecoms has uncovered a large fraudulent scheme, operating since 2015, perpetrated by two former senior executives of a subsidiary company.

The fraudulent transactions were performed primarily outside the course and scope of the subsidiary’s field of commercial dealings.

The senior executives interposed themselves between intermediary companies and the subsidiary for their own benefit.

Blue Label identified transactions that amounted to a theft of funds from the subsidiary, which the executives tried to conceal.

The company signed settlement agreements with the executives in late October 2021, where most of the assets of the executives were signed over to Blue Label.

The value of these assets as of 31 October 2021 amounted to R315 million, which indicates the scale of the fraud.

“Subsequent to the fraud investigation and detailed review of the control environment and business processes within the subsidiary, management has implemented the necessary improvements relating to the existing control environment,” Blue Label said.

The company now holds Powers of Attorney over the assets of these executives. They are listed in the table below.

Commenting on the “immovable properties”, Blue Label said it is not its intention to acquire legal title to the properties or keep the rights long term.

It is, therefore, actively marketing these properties and expects to sell them all within the next twelve months.

All the money found to be held in the bank accounts of the perpetrators has been transferred to Blue Label’s bank accounts.

As of 30 November 2021, properties to the value of R8.5 million have been sold.

Source: https://mybroadband.co.za/news/business/434932-huge-fraud-at-blue-label-telecoms-uncovered.html