Timaru Fraud Accused's Former Employer Admits Spying
January 21, 2016 | Fraud
The former employer of a Timaru office worker accused of fraud was obsessed with the issue, the Timaru District Court has been told.
The employer, who has interim name suppression, has admitted spying on the worker's house to track vehicle movements after a review of the company's records led to her dismissal.
In court on Wednesday, another former employee of the company stated the employer watched the worker's house from afar and the employer spent his days talking about the alleged fraud.
"He was possessed by it."
The employer told Judge Joanna Maze he spied on the property about 20 times from a distance after receiving a police warning for driving by it.
The worker is accused of fraud totalling $66,000 over eight years. The employer told the court the company was "in limbo" about the time the worker had been dismissed.
One of the five fraud charges the worker faces relates to the alleged misuse of a company credit card.
In a police video interview played to the court, the worker defended alleged discrepancies in the credit card records by stating they were either legitimate office expenses or items she bought when the employer told her to "treat yourself".
She told the investigating officer she bought several grocery items after her employer told her a co-worker needed food.
Cereal, peanut butter and bread which appeared in the records were for the company's staff kitchen, the worker said.
However, her co-worker said he presumed food in the kitchen was for the office worker.
The office worker also claimed she used a company credit card to buy chocolate, croissants, bananas and Dove Body Silk cream after the employer told her to "go and buy yourself something nice" as a reward for the company's performance.
The worker explained her employer had told her to buy Whiskas Oh So Meaty cat food for a stray cat which frequented the company's premises. On Tuesday, her employer had denied ever authorising food to be bought for the cat.
However, when the police officer confronted her about the purchase of a tin of peaches, she was unable to explain it.
Nonetheless, she stated her employer knew about "every single thing" she bought with the card. She later clarified her position, stating her employer knew of all the occasions when she had been told to "treat" herself.
"I didn't say he knew everything I bought."
Four of the charges the worker faces relate to alleged manipulation of the payroll system she administered.
The worker told the officer she and her employer made pay arrangements "mouth to mouth". Although an employment contract, which she never signed, set her hours at 27 to 30 hours a week, the worker said she claimed to work 40 hours to ensure her pay reached an agreed weekly sum.
"That's just how it worked."
When the officer asked her about an entry in 2009 stating she worked 40 hours in a week which included Christmas and Boxing Day, she said "I don't know that one".
The officer also asked the worker why she claimed eight hours' wages for a day of sick leave. The worker said the payroll computer programme recorded those hours automatically.
The worker is expected to call three defence witnesses on Thursday.
WE ARE NEW ZEALAND'S LEADING PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS WITH DECADES OF EXPERIENCE, SPECIALISING IN FRAUD INVESTIGATION.
Don't take matters into your own hands - use the most experienced professionals to independently investigate fraud, corruption, and theft.
Our investigations are incredibly effective in recovering funds and ultimately, the prosecution of offenders.
View all of our services for more information, call our New Zealand Private Investigators on 0800 77 633, or click here to contact us now to discuss your needs.
- Article originally on stuff.co.nz.
