Community detention for wage subsidy fraud
07 January 2025.
A woman made large cash withdrawals from her bank account immediately after receiving two fraudulent COVID-19 Wage Subsidy payouts.
Sheree Emma Shanti Waru was sentenced in Waitakere District Court on 18 December to community detention and intensive supervision.
She had pleaded guilty to charges of dishonest use of a document.
Ms Waru used two different names and IRD numbers to make two applications in May 2020 which resulted in deposits of $7029.60 and $4200 into her bank account.
The money was withdrawn in large amounts over the following days.
She made another four applications in the same month using different names, and one more in August 2021 using her own name. All five applications, totalling $29,318.40, were declined.
Ms Waru did not respond to any queries or requests for contact during MSD’s investigation into the offending, and MSD has sought reparation of the money paid out.
Judge Terence Singh sentenced Ms Waru to six months’ community detention, with a 7pm to 7am curfew, and 15 months’ intensive supervision to support rehabilitation. No reparation was ordered.
A total of 30 people have been sentenced in wage subsidy cases, another 58 people are still before the courts, and more than $827.5 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 25 October
