Home detention for man who spent Wage Subsidy money spent on gambling

Curtis Lance Aberhart, 26, was sentenced in the Blenheim District Court on 8 July having admitted two charges of accessing a computer programme for a dishonest purpose, in connection with the COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme. He was also sentenced on other unrelated offending.

Between 18 April and 25 April 2020, Aberhart made three fraudulent online wage subsidy applications, paying a total of $21,088.80. All the applications supplied Aberhart’s bank account but only one was made in his name.

When MSD found the two other people named in the applications, they claimed no knowledge of them or the bank account that received the payments.

On 24 April and 4 May 2020, Aberhart made two other fraudulent online applications in other people’s names that were declined. Again, these people disavowed any knowledge of them.

Aberhart’s bank transactions confirmed he did not qualify for the wage subsidy because he was not employed or self-employed at the time.

The money from the three successful applications was used for online gambling or cash withdrawals, except for a $4500 lump sum that was transferred to another bank account.

Judge Noel Sainsbury sentenced Aberhart to eight months’ home detention and reparation of $21,088.80.

The Judge’s sentencing starting point for the wage subsidy fraud charges was two years in prison. After taking into account the other offending and previous convictions, and discounts for guilty pleas, personal factors, rehabilitative efforts, time spent in custody and on electronic bail, and reparation offers, an end point of 15 months imprisonment was reached. Judge Sainsbury converted this to home detention.

A total of 23 people have been sentenced in wage subsidy cases, another 48 people are still before the courts, and more than $826 million* has been repaid. For more information on MSD’s programme of work on wage subsidy fraud and integrity, please see here.

*figures as at 12 July