9 November 2016
Sentenced for fraud and deception against employer

A woman has been sentenced in the Auckland District Court today for a fraud she committed against her long-term employer.

Teremoana Kimiangatau pleaded guilty in July this year to committing fraud against Auckland International Airport Limited to the value of approximately $1.8 million. She faced three representative charges of ‘Obtaining by deception’ and has received a sentence of three years and two months’ imprisonment.

Mrs Kimiangatau had worked at the Auckland International Airport for 18 years.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigation into Mrs Kimiangatau found that she had transferred funds from the Auckland International Airport Limited bank account to her own account. She had facilitated this by changing client bank account numbers to her own within the airport’s accounting system.

His Honour Judge Bergseng described Ms Kimiangatau’s offending as “a serious breach of trust”.

SFO Director, Julie Read, “After many years of honest employment, Mrs Kimiangatau let both herself and her employer down by committing this crime. In a position to see weaknesses in the system, she chose to take advantage of them rather than to see that they were remedied. There is no excuse for that. All employees have a responsibility to ensure that processes are thorough and adhered to.”

Auckland International Airport Limited referred the matter to the SFO in February 2016.

ENDS

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