Three convicted of SFO charges

24 June 2011

Guilty verdicts were today returned against Robert Anthony Briggs (50), the former Principal Officer and General Manager of the Actives Charitable Trust (Actives), and a former associate, who has interim name suppression, at the Auckland District Court today.

The associate was found guilty of two charges of conspiring to commit an offence for personal financial gain.

Mr Briggs had earlier pled guilty to the same charges.

Former Member of Parliament Gilbert Colin Myles (65), an associate of Mr Briggs, was also found guilty of attempting to obstruct the course of justice during the course of a Serious Fraud Office’s (SFO) investigation.

All parties were charged under the Crimes Act.

Mr Briggs had also earlier pled guilty to six charges of corruptly soliciting and accepting commissions under the Secret Commissions Act. He admitted to accepting commissions totalling approximately $153,000 from suppliers in connection with gaming machines ordered on Actives’ behalf.

Mr Briggs, along with his associate, also operated a dishonest scheme in which $1.7 million of financial grants for equipment and coaching was provided by Actives to tennis clubs. Companies owned by the associate then supplied that equipment to the tennis clubs at over inflated prices, the funding was then shared between Mr Briggs and his associate.

SFO Chief Executive Adam Feeley said: “Honesty and integrity is at the heart of any charity. It is important that the public have confidence that the persons running such organisations demonstrate the highest ethical standards, and that law enforcement agencies hold any person to account if they fail to meet such standards.”

In relation to the charge against Mr Myles, Mr Feeley noted, “It is fundamental to the effectiveness of the SFO investigations that questions are answered fully and honestly. Any attempts to deliberately subvert the integrity of our investigations will not be tolerated.”

Mr Briggs, his associate and Mr Myles will face sentencing at the Auckland District Court on 26 August 2011.

ENDS

© Scoop Media