Trial in biggest alleged MSD Covid wage subsidy fraud likely next year as IRD also involved

Luke Daniel Rivers has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Photo / Dean Purcell

Inland Revenue is also prosecuting the man who was arrested after the Ministry of Social Development accused him of a nearly $1 million wage subsidy fraud.

Luke Daniel Rivers has pleaded not guilty to charges of defrauding taxpayers of $977,000 and attempting to get another $738,000 in Covid wage subsidies.

He appeared for a case review in Auckland District Court yesterday facing tax and forgery charges where a lawyer for Inland Revenue (IRD) was present.

Judge June Jelas heard the IRD case might be joined with the earlier prosecution, which the Crown was now in charge of.

The next tranche of disclosure from the IRD was due by June 27.

A case review is expected on July 18 but the court heard any trial was not likely to happen until mid-2025.

It’s understood the IRD charges related to alleged offending of much lower monetary value than the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) allegations.

The MSD previously said the Rivers case was the biggest wage subsidy fraud allegation it had prosecuted.

The ministry in June last year alleged Rivers fraudulently obtained more than $977,000.

Rivers has denied the charges.

A trial for Rivers is expected in mid-2025. Photo / Dean Purcell

And in October, the court heard Rivers could have a trial lasting four or five weeks.

The court at that time heard 72 witness statements had already been taken.

The Companies Office listed a man of the same name as Rivers as a current director and former shareholder of Your Payroll Limited and Accounting 4 Me Limited and as a current director of Save On Mortgage Limited.

Nobody else was listed as a director of any of those companies.