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Auckland, May 1, 2020
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is working with other government departments to prevent Covid-19 relief funds from being defrauded.
The SFO is providing guidance to ensure counter-fraud measures across government are aligned to international best practice in terms of the provision of emergency relief and associated services.
The agency is also establishing an advisory group made up of fraud experts within agencies to support the government’s Covid-19 counter-fraud response.
Collective experience pooled
The counter-fraud guidance the SFO has been sharing is based on its expertise in investigating and prosecuting public sector fraud and from its membership of the International Public Sector Fraud Forum, where the agency has access to the collective experience of its Five Eyes partners.
SFO Chief Executive Julie Read said, “We are aware from our international counterparts that other countries have seen a significant rise in fraudulent activity generally as a result of Covid-19. This has reflected both the opportunistic targeting of those in need and the redeployment of established criminal activity to defraud government relief programmes. There is no reason to believe that New Zealand would be any different in this regard.”
Risk assessment
The SFO understands that the government agencies responsible for disbursement of relief funds are aware of the risks and have in place measures to counter them.
“In times of emergency it is particularly important to ensure that every dollar of public funding reaches the intended beneficiaries not those who would fraudulently line their own pockets. New Zealand government agencies are generally well placed to restrict any rise in fraudulent activities by being alert to the risks. However, the SFO is under no illusion that financial crime will almost certainly increase as a result of Covid-19,” Ms Read said.
