Five former Steinhoff executives have been convicted in South Africa’s largest corporate fraud case, with more prosecutions imminent. The retail giant collapsed in 2017 after auditors uncovered accounting irregularities totaling over 100 billion rand.
Prosecutors have secured prison sentences and massive financial penalties against senior figures who orchestrated the scheme.
Andries Benjamin La Grange Former CFO Receives Suspended Sentence
Andries Benjamin La Grange became the first senior executive convicted when he pleaded guilty to fraud in October 2024. The former chief financial officer received ten years imprisonment with five years suspended on condition he testifies against remaining accused.
His conviction centered on a fraudulent 376 million rand invoice generated from a handwritten note by Markus Jooste.
La Grange instructed subordinates to create the fake document which inflated Steinhoff At Work profits through a fictitious rebate scheme.
Iwan Peter Schelbert Associate Jailed For Fake Invoice Scheme
Iwan Peter Schelbert received five years direct imprisonment in January 2026 for his role in the same fraudulent transaction. The 63 year old former managing director of Steinhoff At Work admitted generating the bogus invoice to a Swiss entity.
Schelbert acted on direct instructions from La Grange and used supporting documentation produced by Stéhan Grobler to disguise the fraud. The scheme involved no actual commercial activity yet added 376 million rand to falsely inflated financial statements.
Hein Odendaal Audit Executive Fined For Negligence
Hein Odendaal pleaded guilty in March 2026 to failing to report fraud involving fictitious income that misled shareholders and regulators. The former audit executive received a 2 million rand fine or four years imprisonment for his negligence in overseeing financial statements.
Prosecutors established that Odendaal ought to have suspected irregularities during his tenure managing Steinhoff affiliates in the United Kingdom.
His conviction marked the fifth successful prosecution secured by the National Prosecuting Authority and the Hawks.
Stéhan Grobler Legal Chief Faces Record Regulatory Fine
Stéhan Grobler received a 359 million rand penalty from the Financial Sector Conduct Authority in March 2026. The former legal and treasury chief was found guilty of publishing false statements about Steinhoff finances between 2014 and 2017.
Grobler faces separate criminal charges including racketeering and three counts of fraud totaling 21 billion rand.
The South African Reserve Bank has already confiscated 76 million rand in assets from Grobler including shares in private businesses and trust holdings.
Markus Jooste Mastermind Escaped Trial Through Suicide
Markus Jooste died by suicide in March 2024 after the Financial Sector Conduct Authority imposed a 475 million rand fine. The former chief executive faced criminal charges of fraud and racketeering before authorities could execute arrest warrants.
Jooste prepared the handwritten note that initiated the fraudulent invoicing scheme later executed by his subordinates. The National Prosecuting Authority described his death as escaping the hands of justice.
Gerhardus Diedricks Burger Insider Trading Conviction Preceded Accounting Fraud Cases
Gerhardus Diedricks Burger became the first conviction in September 2024 when he pleaded guilty to three counts of insider trading.The 79 year old associate of Jooste received five years imprisonment for acting on confidential information before the scandal became public.
A confiscation order seized ninety thousand euros held by Swiss authorities following the Steinhoff collapse. Burger must testify in future criminal proceedings against other implicated parties as part of his plea agreement.
Investigation Uncovered Systematic Deception
A PricewaterhouseCoopers forensic investigation identified a small group of executives who structured transactions inflating profits over eight years. The report detailed irregular dealings involving eight different firms and communication patterns showing senior management instructing thirteen executives to execute fraudulent instructions.
The Supreme Court of Appeal ordered release of the full three-thousand-page report in December 2024.
Media access to the complete document revealed the extensive network of fictitious transactions and offshore arrangements concealing losses.
Remaining Accused Await Trial
Grobler and Odendaal face ongoing criminal proceedings alongside other former executives implicated in the scandal. The Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court has postponed matters to allow state prosecutors time to finalize indictments.
Bail conditions were relaxed in 2025 to require reporting every second week rather than weekly as investigations continue.
The National Prosecuting Authority has indicated further arrests are likely as investigators follow communication trails identified in forensic reports.