Community work, intensive supervision for wage subsidy fraud
20 August 2024.
A man who wrongly received and spent $7029.60 from the COVID19 Wage Subsidy Scheme has been sentenced to community work and intensive supervision.
Matt Eliti Taumalolo admitted a charge of receiving the money, which was paid into his bank account.
The wage subsidy application had been made in the name of another person, but none of the details on the application form belonged to the person named.
After receiving the funds Mr Taumalolo made cash withdrawals totalling $4800 and spent $2230 through online sites.
During the investigation by MSD he did not respond to the Ministry’s queries or requests for contact.
During sentencing in Auckland District Court on 13 August, Judge Edwin Paul noted Mr Taumalolo was currently employed and it was best to keep him working.
He converted a possible jail sentence to 120 hours of community work and 12 months intensive supervision. Reparation is being paid at $20 a week.
Wage subsidy cases have seen 23 people sentenced, another 48 people are still before the courts, and more than $826 million* has been repaid. For more information on MSD’s programme of work on wage subsidy fraud and integrity, please see here.
*figures as at 12 July, 2024
