Post by Lux on Sept 27, 2009 14:29:04 GMT 12
A call centre manager lost his job with a children's charity over a pokie scam allegedly run by a former MP and a prominent Auckland businessman.
Brendan Cook worked for the charity that held theatrical shows and distributed books to children. The Serious Fraud Office alleges the charity was used to siphon $512,000 of grants raised by pokie machines to the ex-MP and the businessman between September 2004 and December 2005
Mr Cook had paid to import more than $100,000 of books from the former MP, which were to be paid for by a pokie fund grant. When the money failed to materialise, the charity was left out of pocket and he lost his job. "This was my idea and I have just cost a charitable trust $122,000," he told a depositions hearing in Auckland District Court yesterday.
Four people are charged with the $1.8 million swindle involving Auckland tennis clubs, the children's charity and a variety of companies set up around gaming machines between 2003 and 2005.
The accused include a long-serving former politician, an Auckland businessman, his wife, and a Christchurch businessman. They all have name suppression.
The Serious Fraud Office said the Auckland businessman had arranged for the tennis clubs and children's charity to take grants of money raised by the pokie machines. The clubs and charity were then said to have paid money back to the man through a series of companies involving his fellow accused.
Mr Cook said he was running a bar when he had first met the Auckland businessman in 2002. He had sourced gaming machines from the accused.
Later, when he worked for the charity, Mr Cook said he came up with the idea of giving books away to children after they had seen plays.
He approached the Auckland businessman asking for grants from gaming machines to fund the idea. He was introduced to the MP who said he could import books.
"It sounded feasible and realistic and I thought it was genuine," Mr Cook said.
But the deal began to unravel and he was turned down for a grant by the Auckland businessman.
He was assured the money would come and to keep buying the books. He paid for more than $100,000 of books from the former MP, but the grant was never paid.
The Auckland businessman faces one charge of conspiring to use documents with intent to defraud, two of conspiring to use documents dishonestly with intent to obtain a pecuniary advantage, and eight of accepting gifts as an inducement or reward for acts done as an agent.
His wife is charged with conspiring to use documents with intent to defraud and conspiring to use documents dishonestly with intent to obtain a pecuniary advantage.
The former MP is charged with conspiring to use documents dishonestly with intent to obtain a pecuniary advantage and one of attempting to obstruct the course of justice.
The Christchurch businessman faces one charge of conspiring to use documents with intent to defraud and one of conspiring to use documents dishonestly with intent to obtain a pecuniary advantage.
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Why do they get name suppression? Disgusting pigs!
www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/2891905/Scam-led-to-man-losing-job-court-told
