The former Steinhoff at Work director, Iwan Peter Schelbert, will spend years behind bars for committing fraud of over R376 million.
The Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court sentenced the 63-year-old to five years’ direct imprisonment on 16 January 2026.
The conviction marks the third secured outcome in the broader Steinhoff fraud matter.
The court found Schelbert guilty after he entered a plea and a sentence agreement with the state.
HOW THE STEINHOFF AT WORK FRAUD WAS COMMITTED
Schelbert served as a director and board member of Steinhoff at Work from 1 June 2004 until 29 March 2018.
In November 2016, he acted on instructions from then Chief Financial Officer Andries Benjamin La Grange.
Schelbert generated a fraudulent invoice to TG Sources SARL, a company based in Martigny, Switzerland.
Afterwards, Stephanus Johannes Grobler and others created supporting documents to disguise the transaction as legitimate.
The scheme inflated Steinhoff at Work’s financial statements by more than R376 million.
NPA WELCOMES THE SENTENCE
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana confirmed that the NPA and the Hawks welcomed the conviction and sentence.
She said the outcome reflects a firm commitment to accountability in one of South Africa’s most complex corporate fraud cases.
Mahanjana added that the investigation required extensive technical expertise and close institutional cooperation.
MORE STEINHOFF AT WORK CONVICTIONS TO FOLLOW?
The case against the remaining accused, Hein Adendaal, 67, and Stephanus Johannes Grobler, 64, remains before the court.
The matter has been postponed to 6 February 2026 for further proceedings.
