Home Affairs Official Found Guilty Of Faking People’s Deaths To Cash In On Insurance Payouts

A Home Affairs employee, Dawn Celeste Pieterson, has been convicted of nine counts of fraud and two counts of contravening the Birth and Death Registration Act by the Calvinia Magistrate’s Court.

Fraudulent Insurance Claims

Between February 2019 and September 2022, Pieterson took out funeral policies with reputable insurance companies using the details of unsuspecting strangers. She then nominated herself as the sole beneficiary of these policies.

To cash in, Pieterson manipulated the national population register, abusing her access as a Home Affairs official. She fraudulently issued B1-1663 (notice of death) forms, declaring living people as deceased in the system.

Victims Declared Dead

The fraudulent registrations caused severe disruptions in the daily lives of the victims, who were suddenly listed as dead in government records. From financial complications to difficulties in accessing essential services, the scam had widespread impact.

Pieterson’s scheme continued unchecked for more than three years before she was caught.

The case has been postponed to 26 January 2026 for sentencing.

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