Woman switched banks to continue wage subsidy fraud
26 June 2025.
A woman who received almost $60,000 in the COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme changed banks and made another five applications while under investigation.
Kirstie Maree Jackson, 34, of Henderson was sentenced to nine months home detention in the Waitākere District Court on 24 June. She earlier admitted charges of using a document with intent to obtain pecuniary advantage.
Jackson made 28 applications using the online claim form for the wage subsidy between March 2020 and October 2021. Jackson made the applications using the name and IR details of a number of businesses and individuals. She had no links to, or involvement in, any of the businesses that she noted on the applications.
Eight of the applications were successful, and a total of $56,236.80 was paid into Jackson’s accounts with her bank. Another 20 unsuccessful applications were made, totalling $101,230.20. When MSD blocked payments to two bank accounts as it investigated payments, Jackson opened a new bank account with another bank and used that to make further claims.
Reparation was sought for $56,236.80. However no reparation was ordered, as the Judge considered doing so would set her up for failure.
Judge G Fraser used as a starting point a sentence of two years, six months imprisonment. The sentence of nine months home detention was reached after taking into account other police charges, a guilty plea, addiction and other issues, and time spent on electronic bail and in custody.
As at 31 March a total of 36 people have been sentenced in wage subsidy cases, another 53 people are still before the courts, and more than $829 million has been repaid. For more information on MSD’s programme of work on wage subsidy fraud and integrity, please see here.
