Finance Ex-Employee Uses South African LGBT NGO’s Money to Bet Online

Former financial employee of “Out”, LGBT non-profit organization in South Africa, used NGO’s funds at her own benefit, for online betting.

Lizette Stassen was convicted of playing online casinos in South Africa and using the organization’s funds for her hobby. The High Court in Pretoria ordered that she has to repay the ex-employer.

Prior the verdict, Lizette pleaded guilty in front of the Commercial Crimes Court in Pretoria to 174 charges of fraud and theft, amounting to ZAR 1.829 million ($167,000). She committed all these crimes while she was working for “Out” between 2006 and 2010. She resigned after her criminal activities were exposed.

Severe consequences for the NGO

The organization insisted that Stassen had misused over ZAR 2.6 million ($236,000) by forging checks and maneuvering skillfully the NGO’s banking facility, in order to make it transfer money to her personal account and other properties.

In addition to playing online games, operated under South African gambling laws, she also used the credit card of the organization to pay for various goods and holidays.

Lizette’s actions had great consequences for the NGO, which not only lost important fund providers, but also had to cancel projects and let some employees go.

Despite her pleading guilty, Stassen declined to repay the misused funds, so “Out” had no other choice but seeking justice from the High Court, leaving Lizzete waiting for her sentence.