Cape Town accountant sentenced to 15 years in jail after stealing R17.4 million from the travel company she worked for

The Cape Town Regional Court sentenced Cassandra Candice Labuschagne to 15 years’ direct imprisonment for 134 counts of theft and money laundering.

Labuschagne was arrested in September 2025 after defrauding a Cape Town-based travel company where she worked as an accountant.

The company incurred a loss of R17.4 million from January 2019 to June 2024 due to the accountant’s fraudulent activities.

Labuschagne created a fictitious platform on the company’s banking site that allowed her access to the company’s banking system.

She proceeded to register her own company and made several payments to her company.

The discrepancy was identified by forensic investigators during the company’s financial audits.

A case was opened and assigned to Detective Sergeant Arno Julian Cupido of the Western Cape Commercial Crime Investigation Unit.

He conducted an investigation and obtained subpoenas for bank statements for the 19 bank accounts the accused used to commit her crime.

On 17 September 2025, the 42-year-old was arrested and remained in custody as bail was successfully opposed.

Labuschagne entered into a plea and sentence agreement and was sentenced to 15 years’ direct imprisonment.

She was further declared unfit to possess a firearm in terms of the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000.