"The network included six charities and incorporated societies, found to have fraudulently gained $3.2 million in gambling grant funds. 23 people were charged in the Auckland District Court on Thursday (February 12), with more than 500 charges levelled against them in total under the Crimes Act, including multiple alleged counts related to money laundering, receiving, and using forged documents. It's been described as the region's "largest ever prosecution" by the Department of Internal Affairs gambling director Vicki Scott, coming after a far-reaching investigation."
"Some of the defendants also allegedly ran gambling venues using these poker machines, laundering the grant funds through the venue's bank accounts to repay gambling machine profits back to the operators in what Scott describes as a "cynical abuse of the gambling system". "We will continue to respond strongly to any attempts to undermine the important measures that ensure gambling profits go back into the community, not into individuals' back pockets," Scott said."
Twenty-three people have been charged after six charities and incorporated societies fraudulently obtained NZD 3.2 million in gambling grant funds intended for community use. Authorities allege the grants were claimed for salaries of non-existent employees and that some defendants operated gaming venues, laundering grant money through venue bank accounts to return profits to machine operators. More than 500 charges were laid under the Crimes Act, including counts of money laundering, receiving, and using forged documents. The Department of Internal Affairs called the case the region's largest ever prosecution. All defendants remain anonymous until their next court appearance on April 9.
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