21 years of ACC fraud admitted
A 47-year-old man already serving a long prison sentence has now admitted cheating $398,814 from ACC with false back injury claims that went on for 21 years.
The man was granted final name suppression by Judge David Ruth at his sentencing in the Christchurch District Court. The judge said he granted the suppression order “for reasons made known to me which I don’t intend to traverse in open court”.
The Crown had agreed to the final suppression being granted.
The judge told the Crown that it was not practical to make any reparation order because of the long jail term that the man was already serving. It would be many years before he could begin paying anything back.
The man had pleaded guilty to a charge of obtaining money by deception from ACC.
Judge Ruth said the man had been working as a labourer in the construction industry in Wellington in 1991 when he was granted compensation for a lumbar sprain.
He was granted compensation equivalent to 80 percent of his pre-incapacity earnings. As part of the payment system, he was required to indicate that he was still unable to work and that required medical information.
ACC began inquiries which disclosed offending stretching over 21 years and involving payments of $398,814. Judge Ruth described the offending as “premeditated and persistent”.
The judge imposed a four-year jail term which will be served concurrently with the man’s present prison sentence.
Category: Focus
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