A business partner of convicted fraudster Joanne Harrison shredded fake invoices and took stolen money, but was never charged, according to a transport ministry commissioned report released to Radio New Zealand (RNZ).
That’s reported today on Stuff.
Harrison was sentenced to three years, seven months in jail in February after she admitted stealing $725,000 from the ministry.
The report shows Harrison’s business partner, a former public servant, destroyed documents while the investigation was underway into Harrison’s financial activities and acted as a front person for false companies, RNZ reports.
The employment investigation by Peter Churchman QC showed the business partner was told by Harrison that she was now working as a contractor for the ministry and was legitimately billing it for her time.
Churchman found the business partner had been groomed by Harrison, and received 30% of the funds paid to the two fake companies, Mazarine Associates and Elizabeth Williams Consulting.
He also found Harrison “groomed” another transport ministry employee who tried to interfere in the fraud investigation and attempted to remove items from Harrison’s office on her behalf.
Churchman’s report shows that Harrison tricked three government agencies into employing her domestic partner, Patrick Sharp, but failed to declare the pair was in a relationship.
