A Gauteng woman who stole more than R500 million from her employer and lived the high life has been sentenced to an effective 50 years behind bars.
Hildegard Antoinette Steenkamp, 50, was sentenced in the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Friday.
According to Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigations (known as the Hawks) Steenkamp was convicted on 336 charges of fraud.
Explaining the case Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said Steenkamp worked as an accountant at multinational medical equipment supplier called Medtronic that is based in Midrand.
“She allegedly duplicated payments by transferring money directly into her late husband’s bank account.
Steenkamp was found to have siphoned over R500million since 2017.
IOL earlier reported the court heard how Steenkamp spent R65 million over a five-year period at a casino and went on international holidays worth R30 million, including regular trips to Dubai and lived an opulent life.
The Hawks said her arrest in December 2017 was made following a three-month investigation.
“The Hawks descended on Steenkamp’s house with search-and-seizure warrants and attached the woman’s 11 luxury vehicles, motorcycles and seven immovable properties as well as furniture, appliances and jewellery worth millions of rands.”
Following her arrest Steenkamp was released on a bail of R250,000.
IOL News