Introduction

An Indian-origin couple has been convicted of defrauding New Zealand’s child welfare agency, Oranga Tamariki, of over NZ$2 million (more than Rs 10 crore). Despite fleeing to Chennai after the fraud came to light, the couple was quickly tracked down and brought back under investigation.

The Fraudulent Scheme

Neha Sharma, who worked as a property and facilities manager at Oranga Tamariki, and her husband, Amandeep Sharma, who ran a construction company named Divine Connection, orchestrated a large-scale scam. Using her internal position, Neha routed over 200 maintenance jobs and 326 inflated invoices to her husband’s company between July 2021 and October 2022, bypassing conflict of interest policies.

Neha submitted fake job references to join the agency and deliberately concealed her marriage to Amandeep. She even enlisted a friend to push more contracts to Divine Connection. Some payments were used for personal items like a new television, highlighting the misuse of funds.

Exposure and Arrest

The scam unraveled when a colleague raised concerns about repetitive job assignments to Divine Connection. Neha abruptly resigned via email before a scheduled meeting to explain the irregularities. Soon after, Amandeep was removed as company director and the company address was changed in an apparent attempt to hide evidence.

The Serious Fraud Office raided their properties on March 30, 2023, uncovering more evidence that contradicted Neha’s claims of disclosure and prior approval of Divine Connection by the agency.

Legal Actions and Agency Response

Neha Sharma has been sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple fraud-related charges, including deception, money laundering, and use of forged documents. Amandeep Sharma also pleaded guilty to deception and money laundering charges.

Oranga Tamariki has since tightened internal controls to prevent such corruption. CEO Andrew Bridgman emphasized the agency’s commitment to tackling fraud firmly. New Zealand Serious Fraud Office has played a key role in the investigation.

Conclusion

This case serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities in internal controls and the importance of stringent oversight in public agencies. The Indian-origin couple’s failed escape to Chennai underscores the reach of international law enforcement and the consequences of financial fraud.

For more insights on fraud prevention and international business ethics, visit our Fraud Prevention Guide.