A former senior Ministry of Transport manager who stole $726,000 from the organisation has pleaded guilty to benefit fraud.
Joanne Harrison admitted two charges of using a document for pecuniary advantage and one charge of obtaining a benefit by deceit at the Kaikohe District Court.
The offending, which took place in Kerikeri, occurred in 2008 and 2009 when Harrison was working at the Department of Corrections, Stuff reports.
Ministry of Social Development lawyer Sheryl Manning told the court Harrison claimed to be earning $482 gross income a week so she could get the Domestic Purposes Benefit (DPB), when she was actually earning $1842 a week.
Overall, Harrison illegally claimed $6444.13 in benefits and will be sentenced on December 6.
She is currently serving a sentence of three years and seven months for defrauding the Ministry of Transport.
