Man tried to get more than $150,000 in dishonest Wage Subsidy applications
03 October 2024.
A man who dishonestly submitted applications for more than $150,000 in Wage Subsidy payments has been sentenced to community detention and community work.
Jake Keith Elliot, 27, of Pukekohe was sentenced in Pukekohe District Court on 1 October for two representative charges of dishonest use of a document.
He received $14,777.20 from three applications under the scheme.
Elliot made another 21 applications worth $147,621.60 which were declined.
He initially applied under his own name as a sole trader before going on to make further applications with different business details without their consent over a period of 17 months.
During his offending he registered as a sole trader under the name of Main Craft Doors and used it to make some of the applications which were declined. The business never engaged in any activity or received any revenue.
Judge Gerald Winter imposed community detention of five months and 150 hours community work.
Judge Winter also required full reparation of the $14,777.20.
A total of 28 people have been sentenced in wage subsidy cases, another 47 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 6 September
