Cape Town:The Cape Town Regional Court has sentenced Cassandra Candice Labuschagne to 15 years of direct imprisonment for her involvement in 134 counts of theft and money laundering.

According to South African Police Service, Labuschagne was apprehended in September 2025 following her fraudulent activities against a Cape Town-based travel company where she was employed as an accountant. The company suffered a financial loss totaling R17,352,337 from January 2019 until June 2024 due to Labuschagne's actions.

Labuschagne exploited the company's banking system by creating a fictitious platform that granted her unauthorized access. She registered her own company and transferred funds to it, raising suspicions that were later confirmed by forensic investigators during routine financial audits.

A formal investigation was launched, headed by Detective Sergeant Arno Julian Cupido of the Western Cape Commercial Crime Investigation Unit. He meticulously gathered evidence, including subpoenas for bank statements from 19 accounts implicated in the fraudulent scheme. Labuschagne, aged 42, was arrested on 17 September 2025 and remained in custody after bail was denied.

Following a plea and sentence agreement, Labuschagne was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Additionally, she has been declared unfit to possess a firearm under the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000.