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RNZ News
3 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Husband of Oranga Tamariki employee gets home detention for role in defrauding agency of more than $2m
Amandeep Sharma in court in May. Photo: RNZ / Tim Brown The husband of a former Oranga Tamariki employee who helped his wife defraud the agency of more than $2 million has been sentenced to 12 months' home detention. Amandeep Sharma pleaded guilty to obtaining by deception and money laundering in May after he and his wife Neha Sharma kept their marriage secret and funnelled public money through his construction company Divine Connection Ltd. Neha Sharma, who was jailed for three years in May, kept the conflict of interest concealed as she approved the company's invoices, got him jobs that could have been carried out by other companies and even carried out work for the company during office hours. Less than two weeks after the Serious Fraud Office knocked on their front door, the couple booked two one-way business class to India, after transferring just under $800,000 overseas. Justice Eaton said he seriously considered jailing Sharma but sentenced him to home detention in order for him to seek rehabilitation and support his daughter. "The attitude you have displayed is worrying. It is indicative of a lack of accountability and does in my view display a degree of entitlement, perhaps arrogance," he said. Serious Fraud Office (SFO) director Karen Chang said Sharma and his wife took advantage of her position of trust for their own financial gain. "It is critical that we disrupt behaviour of this kind, which damages the integrity of our public institutions and threatens our reputation as a safe place to invest and do business," she said. "Corrupt behaviour by public servants is a key focus for the SFO, and we are currently advancing initiatives that will strengthen the New Zealand public sector's overall resilience to fraud and corruption." The SFO filed charges against the couple in 2023 alleging Neha Sharma had provided false references to secure her role at Oranga Tamariki where she managed aspects of properties in the Canterbury region, including maintenance, upkeep, and modifications. Neha Sharma set up her husband's company as a contractor without declaring a conflict of interest and then assigned work to this company over others suppliers, at a cost of $2.1 million to Oranga Tamariki. She then applied for a role at the transport agency, for which she also provided a false reference. The SFO said police seized the funds the couple had transferred. It said proceedings to return them to New Zealand were underway, while the High Court had issued a restraining order over the couple's properties in New Zealand. Chang thanked the police and Indian authorities for their swift action and the co-operation of Oranga Tamariki and the transport agency in the investigation.
Scoop
3 days ago
- Scoop
Husband Who Worked With Public Servant Wife To Defraud Oranga Tamariki Of $2 Million Sentenced In SFO Case
A man who worked with his public servant wife to fraudulently obtain more than $2 million from Oranga Tamariki Ministry for Children was sentenced today, after pleading guilty to charges brought by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO). Amandeep Sharma was sentenced in the Christchurch High Court today to 12 months' home detention. His wife, former Oranga Tamariki Property and Facilities Manager Neha Sharma (nee Chandrasekaran), was sentenced to three years' imprisonment in May. Mr and Mrs Sharma pleaded guilty to charges of obtaining by deception for fraudulently obtaining approximately $2.1 million from Oranga Tamariki. The money was obtained through Mr Sharma's company, Divine Connection, without Oranga Tamariki knowing. The husband and wife team also pleaded guilty to money laundering for transferring just under $800,000 overseas once the offending was discovered, then immediately leaving New Zealand. Mrs Sharma also pleaded guilty to one representative charge of using a forged document. Mrs Sharma used forged references to gain employment at Oranga Tamariki, and again to gain employment at Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency directly after leaving Oranga Tamariki. SFO Director, Karen Chang says, 'Mr Sharma and his wife took advantage of her position of trust for their own financial gain. It is critical that we disrupt behaviour of this kind, which damages the integrity of our public institutions and threatens our reputation as a safe place to invest and do business. 'Corrupt behaviour by public servants is a key focus for the SFO, and we are currently advancing initiatives that will strengthen the New Zealand public sector's overall resilience to fraud and corruption.' The SFO filed charges against Neha Sharma and her husband Amandeep Sharma in June 2023. The SFO alleged that Mrs Sharma provided false references to secure her role at Oranga Tamariki, where she managed aspects of properties in the Canterbury region, including maintenance, upkeep, and modifications. Once in the role, Mrs Sharma set up her husband's company, Divine Connection, as a contractor without declaring a conflict of interest. She then ensured work was assigned to his company over other approved suppliers. In total, Oranga Tamariki paid Divine Connection just over $2 million. Following her resignation from Oranga Tamariki, Mrs Sharma applied for a job at Waka Kotahi. Mrs Sharma again provided a false reference to secure her new role. The money laundering charges relate to almost $800,000 transferred to overseas bank accounts in India. The Police Asset Recovery Unit, in close co-operation with colleagues in India, has located and restrained these funds. Proceedings are underway to return them to New Zealand. The High Court has issued a restraining order over the couple's properties in New Zealand upon application by the Commissioner of Police, pursuant to the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009. 'We would like to acknowledge the Police and Indian authorities for their swift action and assistance in securing the offender's assets, as well as the co-operation of Oranga Tamariki and Waka Kotahi in the investigation,' says Ms Chang.
India Today
20-05-2025
- India Today
After Rs 10-crore scam, New Zealand couple flew business class to India
An Indian-origin couple living in Christchurch, New Zealand, was convicted in a fraud case that caused losses exceeding NZ$2 million (10 crore) to Oranga Tamariki, the country's child welfare agency. An investigation in the case has been on since October 2022, but details emerged recently after a guilty plea by one of the accused. After committing the fraud, the couple also took a business-class flight to India in May 16, Amandeep Sharma, director of Divine Connection Ltd, pleaded guilty and is due to be sentenced in June. His wife, Neha Sharma, 36, a former property and facilities manager at Oranga Tamariki, the Ministry of Children of New Zealand, was sentenced earlier in May to three years in prison after pleading guilty to charges, including obtaining by deception, money laundering, and using forged used her position within the agency to funnel more than 200 inflated maintenance jobs and 326 falsified invoices to Divine Connection, the company secretly run by her husband. Colleagues were unaware of their relationship, enabling the fraud to go undetected for over a year — from July 2021 to October had secured her job at the agency using fake references and never declared her conflict of interest. Despite strict agency policies, she concealed her marriage and her husband's involvement with the contracted scheme began to collapse in October 2022 when a co-worker flagged repeated job allocations to the same contractor. A meeting was scheduled for November 2 to address the irregularities, but Neha resigned by email just before it, claiming she was being unfairly targeted. Within 20 minutes of her resignation, Amandeep was removed as the director of Divine Connection, and the company's registered address was changed in an attempt to hide the December 2022, Amandeep was also removed as a shareholder, replaced by a man named Prince Bajaj. However, during a later investigation, Bajaj told authorities he had no knowledge of being listed and had not consented to the change—confirming the move was March 30, 2023, the Serious Fraud Office raided the couple's property. By then, they had already attempted to shift large sums offshore, booked one-way business class tickets to Chennai, and begun liquidating assets. They owned three properties, three vehicles, and liquid assets amounting to around NZ$800,000 (4 crore), much of which had already been transferred to being under suspicion, Neha managed to briefly secure another government job at the New Zealand Transport Agency using the same fake references she had previously used to join Oranga is currently incarcerated with her baby in a special unit, while the couple's older child was sent to India with Amandeep's sister. Through her lawyer, Neha blamed her actions on "baby brain," though prosecutors said there was no remorse or offer of repayment.
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Business Standard
20-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Govt desk to jail: Rs 10 cr fraud by Indian couple in New Zealand decoded
Indian-origin Neha Sharma looked like the model public servant. A trusted property manager at Oranga Tamariki, New Zealand's Ministry for Children, she handled government maintenance jobs with apparent dedication. Her husband, Amandeep Sharma, was a construction company director. But behind the paperwork and property inspections, the pair were orchestrating a fraud worth over $2 million (around ₹10 crore). Now, Neha Sharma has been sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of deception, money laundering, and using forged documents. Her husband has also admitted to similar charges and will be sentenced in June. The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) of New Zealand, which prosecuted the case, said the couple transferred just under $800,000 overseas once their actions came under scrutiny, then fled the country. Government job, fake references, and a front company Neha Sharma, 36, used fake references to get hired at Oranga Tamariki in 2021, where she was responsible for property maintenance across Canterbury. She added her husband's firm, Divine Connection Ltd, to the agency's contractor system without declaring a conflict of interest. Then she personally approved jobs worth $2.1 million for Divine Connection — despite the company not being on the list of approved suppliers. Invoices were padded with inflated charges and, in some cases, unrelated purchases, including a television for Neha's own home. She concealed her marriage to Amandeep from colleagues, even instructing him by text to act independently and coaching him on how to maintain the illusion of being just another supplier. They enlisted a friend working at the call centre to help route jobs to Divine Connection. Fraud triggers internal probe and SFO investigation By late 2022, irregular invoicing and job allocations raised red flags. When it was discovered that Divine Connection was registered at Neha's home address, she abruptly resigned, alleging she was being targeted. Shortly after her resignation, company records were changed—Amandeep's name was removed and replaced with that of an unaware acquaintance. The SFO began its investigation and raided the couple's home in March 2023, finding three vehicles, three properties, and nearly $800,000 in liquid assets, which they were in the process of moving to India. Escape to India and fresh job with fake credentials Within weeks of the raid, the couple took a business-class flight to Chennai, carrying 80 kilograms of luggage. They had tried to liquidate assets and falsely claimed they had sold their company. Even while on the run, Neha used the same forged references to secure a new job at the NZ Transport Agency, listing her husband as a referee once again. Appearing at the High Court in Christchurch, she cited 'baby brain' as part of her defence. She is now serving her sentence in a mothers' and babies' unit. The court noted her lack of remorse and the absence of any repayment offer. The Ministry of Education confirmed that her references were indeed fake and that she had been hired through an external recruiter. An audit of her time there found no financial wrongdoing. Asset recovery and international cooperation The SFO said the case was not just about money, but about the erosion of trust in public systems. 'These convictions mark an important milestone in the SFO's prosecution of this case,' said SFO Director Karen Chang. 'Offending of this kind erodes public confidence and harms the integrity of New Zealand's public institutions and our reputation as a safe place to invest.' She added, 'This case also highlights the requirement for rigorous vetting of public servants especially as they move between agencies.' The couple's assets have been restrained by New Zealand police with help from Indian authorities. The Police Asset Recovery Unit is working to return the funds to New Zealand. The High Court has also issued a restraining order over the couple's local properties under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009. 'We would like to acknowledge the Police and Indian authorities for their swift action and assistance in securing the defendant's assets, as well as the co-operation of Oranga Tamariki and Waka Kotahi in the investigation,' said Chang. Case timeline June 2023 Amandeep Sharma appears in Christchurch District Court on charges of deception and money laundering. A warrant is issued for Neha Sharma, who is in India at the time. September 2023 The couple plead not guilty in Christchurch District Court. September 2024 Trial was scheduled to begin on September 8, 2025. March 2025 Neha Sharma pleads guilty to charges of deception and using forged documents. May 2025 Neha Sharma is sentenced to three years in prison. Amandeep Sharma pleads guilty to charges of deception.
NDTV
20-05-2025
- NDTV
Indian-Origin Couple Swindled Crores In New Zealand, Escape To Chennai Did Not Help
An Indian-origin couple has been convicted of defrauding New Zealand's child welfare agency, Oranga Tamariki, of more than NZ$2 million (over Rs 10 crore). Neha Sharma has been sentenced to three years in jail after pleading guilty to multiple fraud-related charges, including obtaining money by deception, money laundering, and using forged documents. Her husband, Amandeep Sharma, has also pleaded guilty to deception and laundering charges, The NZ Herald reported. Before their arrest, the couple flew to Chennai in a business class flight, shortly after authorities began closing in on their fraudulent scheme. Their escape was short-lived. They were soon brought back under investigation. At the time, the couple owned three properties, three cars, and had nearly $800,000 (over Rs 4 crore) in cash across their joint bank accounts. Neha Sharma worked as a property and facilities manager at Oranga Tamariki, while Amandeep Sharma ran a construction company named Divine Connection. Their fraudulent scheme started gaining traction roughly eight months after Divine Connection was onboarded as a contractor. No one at the agency knew the two were married. This allowed Neha Sharma to use her internal access to route over 200 maintenance jobs and 326 inflated invoices to Divine Connection between July 2021 and October 2022, directly benefiting her husband's company. Some of the money was even paid for personal items, like a new television for their home. Neha Sharma joined the agency in 2021 by submitting fake job references. Despite the agency's strict rules about conflicts of interest, she never disclosed her ties to Divine Connection or its director, her husband. In one text message between the two, Neha Sharma told Amandeep Sharma, "You just say you are working for me. He should not know you are my be a huge issue for me." She even brought in a friend to help push more work to Divine Connection through the agency. During office hours, she wasn't just authorising payments, but was also helping run the company. The scam began to crumble in October 2022 when a colleague questioned the repeated job assignments going to the same contractor. On November 2, the day Neha Sharma was due for a meeting to explain the irregularities, she abruptly resigned by email. She claimed she was being unfairly targeted and refused to attend the meeting. Within 20 minutes of her resignation, Amandeep Sharma was removed as Divine Connection's director and the company's address was changed, seen as an apparent attempt to cover their tracks. The Serious Fraud Office raided their property on March 30, 2023. During the raids, Neha Sharma claimed Divine Connection had been approved before she joined Oranga Tamariki and that she had disclosed the conflict. These claims were later proven false by the evidence. Oranga Tamariki has since tightened its internal controls and oversight to prevent such misconduct in the future. CEO Andrew Bridgman said, "Corruption of this kind is utterly unacceptable. Oranga Tamariki takes any case of fraud extremely seriously, as shown by its actions once concerns were raised."
