Serious Fraud Office
Auckland, March 21, 2018
Former Financial Manager of a tax-payer funded social services provider has pleaded guilty to defrauding the entity of about $60,000.
Hemo Thompson pleaded guilty in the Hamilton District Court today (March 21, 2018) to all 68 charges she faces, which comprise one charge of ‘Obtaining by Deception’ and 67 charges of ‘Theft in a Special Relationship.’
Ms Thompson obtained funds from Raukura Waikato Social Services Trust over a four-year period from November 2010 to November 2014 and disguised the activity as genuine expenditure. The payments came in the form of 68 separate deposits.
About the Trust
Raukura Waikato Social Services Trust (RWSS) was a charitable trust based in Hamilton which delivered social services in the Waikato region. RWSS had received funding from the Ministries of Social Development, Health, Justice, Department of Corrections and Waikato District Health Board since 2008 for the provision of those services.
RWSS was placed into liquidation in March 2016.
Raukura Waikato Social Services Trust is currently in liquidation.
Serious Fraud Office Chief Executive Julie Read said, “Hemo Thompson had control over the Ruakura funds and knew the terms upon which she was allowed to deal with those funds. She intentionally departed from those terms to conduct this activity for her own personal benefit.”
Ms Thompson will reappear in the Hamilton District Court on June 1, 2018.
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