Serious Fraud Office Press Release
Auckland, Wednesday, May 25, 2016 (11.44 am)
A pair who committed fraud against one of New Zealand’s largest power companies have been sentenced in the Auckland High Court today.
Paul Kenneth Rose and Jane Clare Rose were found guilty in March this year of Crimes Act charges of ‘Obtaining by deception’ following a Serious Fraud Office prosecution. The victim, Mighty River Power Limited, had undertaken an internal investigation in November 2012 before the matter was referred to the SFO.
Paul Rose was sentenced to three years and two months’ imprisonment and Jane Rose was sentenced to nine months of home detention.
The offence
The multi-million dollar fraud related to procurement for the Company’s Southdown power station.
Paul Rose was employed as an Electrical Engineer at the Southdown power station. He organised for companies to be set up in the name of Jane Rose (and that of a former partner) to conceal his interest in, and connection to, these companies. He then used these companies to invoice Mighty River Power, first on his own, and later with the assistance of Jane Rose. Mighty River Power was not aware of Paul Rose’s interest in these companies and he did not declare the conflict of interest. Payments of approximately $2.2 million were paid to the companies by Mighty River Power.
Director of the Serious Fraud Office, Julie Read said, “We are pleased that our investigation and prosecution of these attempts to deliberately deceive an employer have been punished. Mighty River Power is a significant contributor to the New Zealand economy and the SFO places a great deal of importance on our contribution to maintaining the reputation of New Zealand as a safe place to do business.”
Paul Rose’s offending took place between March 2006 and December 2012 and Jane Rose was involved over a period of time between February 2010 and December 2012.
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