Christo Snyman Director - Forensic Services
Bachelor of Law from the University of South Africa
National Diploma in Police Administration from Technikon South Africa
Certified Fraud Examiner
Experience
In May 2012, Christo joined Mazars Forensic Services as Director.
Prior to joining Mazars Forensic Services, Christo was a Captain in the South African Police Service, Commercial Crime Unit, where he conducted investigations into all fraud and specialised fraud related matters.
Christo has further obtained five years of extensive experience with regard to fraud management whilst in the employ of American Express and Nedbank. Christo’s efforts towards fraud prevention, recoveries and the implementation of various fraud prevention measures and controls, earned him an International Service Award, presented to him in California USA, in 1999, by American Express, Global Network Services.
During this period he also acted as Chairperson for the four major banks’ Credit Card Investigation Forum, in Johannesburg. The objective of this forum was to combine the efforts of the investigation staff of all major banks, which resulted in a number of successful arrests and prosecutions.
Christo has successfully established a regional office for Nedbank in Cape Town, specialising in Corporate Investigations, Card Fraud and Security.
Christo accomplished the start-up of a Business Risk Services Division for Grant Thornton within the Western Cape and later RiskWise, on a national basis. During the period and following his appointment at Mazars Christo investigated several matters within the private and public sectors which lead to a number of successful convictions and the recovery of defrauded and stolen funds. This enabled him to build an extensive network within the prosecution fraternities, working closely with the SAPS and the Department of Justice.
Christo has been invited to conduct several fraud awareness training programs for a broad spectrum of clients within the private and public sectors.
In October 2014 Christo in conjunction with FNB pioneered the establishment of the International Association of Financial Crime Investigators in the Western Cape. Christo has subsequently been voted as President of the forum and since establishment, the forum has grown to over 70 members. The forum is represented by Senior Investigators of the SAPS, Hawks, Crime Intelligence, risk managers, insurance investigators, cybercrime units, document and handwriting examiners, public prosecutors, polygraph experts and forensic auditors of private firms.
Christo has appeared as an expert witness in several criminal and civil proceedings.
Professional memberships
- Certified Fraud Examiner and member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE)
- President and member of the Western Cape Chapter of the International Association of Financial Crime Investigators (IAFCI)