Career con artist Stephan Goodburn to serve more prison time after further fraud

Stephan Goodburn's life of trickery and deceit conned several people into a series of get-rich-quick schemes and fake investments. Photo / Supplied

An investment fraudster who lived a "lavish lifestyle" off the $1.4 million he stole from his clients, including an Olympian, has seen a further six months added to his already lengthy prison term.

Career con artist Stephan Grant Goodburn was imprisoned for six years and two months last July after a Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigation into his offending from 2005 to 2015.

However, the Herald can reveal, while the Auckland man was behind bars more allegations were levelled against him in June over a $435,000 fraud.

The 56-year-old admitted the newly uncovered offending and had a further six months added to his sentence last month.

Goodburn's life of trickery and deceit drew at least five of his friends and associates into a series of get-rich-quick schemes and fake investments.

He was using the stolen cash to fund a rich lifestyle of fast cars and posh apartments.

In total he had acquired about $1.4m from his frauds.

Most of Goodburn's offending was based on false business dealings with people who trusted him, including his friends, partners, and an Olympian.

He even conned a judge in a bold and successful effort to receive a lighter court sentence.

Sometimes he used false documentation to give credence to his business life, much of which remained a mystery because of his labyrinth of lies.

However, a Herald investigation last year revealed Goodburn's offending dated back to the mid-1990s.

In May 1995, on Queensland's Gold Coast, the Southport District Court sentenced him to a four-year prison term for misappropriation of property, false pretences and attempted
false pretences, forgery, uttering a forgery, theft, and what is described as making a
"wilful false promise".

He was then sentenced to cumulative terms of imprisonment in Australia during October 1995 and May 1996 for incurring a debt by false pretences, misappropriation of property and false pretences offences.

Upon his release from prison Goodburn moved to New Zealand.

He held business links to Australasian media and radio companies and was a group general manager at a New Zealand-based media enterprise.

Married with a son, Goodburn lived in a luxury apartment in Parnell but was declared bankrupt in 2012.

During Goodburn's High Court sentencing last year, Justice Matthew Downs said the fraudster was "motivated by greed" to fund a "lavish lifestyle".

Goodburn has nearly 20 previous convictions for deception in New Zealand and earlier duped a judge during his second sentencing for fraud in an effort to dodge prison time.

He offered to pay almost $27,000 in reparation, including $9000 immediately.

"The judge thought you were making good for your wrongdoing, but you deceived the judge," Justice Downs said.

"You were using proceeds of crime to achieve a more lenient sentence ... This is another example of particularly cynical and dishonest behaviour."

In a letter to the court, Goodburn said he "always wanted more".

While it is unknown if Goodburn had more victims, police have encouraged those concerned or who believe they may be a victim of similar offending to contact police.