Fraudster Faces Eight Years in Prison for R24 Million Scam
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Simphiwe Mhlongo, spokesperson for the KwaZulu-Natal Hawks, revealed that from January 2015 to September 2017, Maharaj served as the Logistics Manager at Consulens Health Care Solution PTY, cleverly masterminding his elaborate fraud from this key position.
Mhlongo disclosed that Maharaj teamed up with accomplices to pull off a cunning scheme, manipulating stock levels in the company’s system. They allegedly fabricated product demands to justify purchasing even more inventory.
Maharaj has been dealt a severe blow, receiving a 10-year prison sentence for fraud, with two years suspended for three years. The scales of justice tipped further as he was handed another 10 years for corruption, also with two years suspended, alongside a five-year term for money laundering, entirely suspended for three years.
With his sentences running concurrently, Maharaj faces a reality check: he’ll serve just eight years of actual time behind bars, a stark reminder that crime comes with serious consequences.
Mhlongo announced that Maharaj’s partners in crime, Oleena Dauchand, 51, and Debi George, 61, will face the music in court on October 30, 2024, as their trial unfolds, justice is just getting started.
Maharaj was convicted for orchestrating a massive fraud scheme, fabricating false invoices and delivery notes that racked up a staggering R24 million in payments to suppliers while he served as Logistics Manager at Consulens Health Care Solution PTY.
It came to light that Maharaj colluded with his partners in crime, cunningly manipulating stock levels in the company’s system. They allegedly conjured up fake product demands to justify acquiring even more inventory.
“In the process they created false invoices and delivery notes to the amount of R24 million which was paid to the suppliers. A case of fraud, corruption and money laundering was reported at Cato Manor police station and the case docket was allocated to Hawks members from Durban Serious Corruption Investigation. They were arrested and charged accordingly in November 2021,” he said.
Tuesday marked a pivotal moment in the Durban Specialized Commercial Crime Court as Rakesh Maharaj (46) received a staggering sentence for a litany of crimes: 103 counts of fraud, 102 counts of corruption, and one count of money laundering.
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