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An Australian businessman faces fraud charges totalling $585,447 in a Serious Fraud Office prosecution.
The New Zealand-born man has been granted interim suppression of name until October 6, so neither his name, nor the name of the company involved, nor the name of the person he is alleged to have conspired with can be published.
The case today came before Christchurch District Court Judge David Saunders who said the suppression would lapse unless a formal application to continue it was placed before the court by October 6.
The 55-year-old accused was remanded on bail for a pre-depositions conference on December 11.
He faces 27 charges, two alleging he conspired with a woman to dishonestly use documents, the others alleging he and the woman conspired to dishonestly use invoices to obtain various amounts of money from different firms.
The amounts range from $7584 to $76,752, and total $545,447.
The firms alleged to have been defrauded are trusts, rental companies, building firms, home supply and renovation firms, repossession firms, an internet services company, a joinery firm, an organic food company, and a chemicals firm. All appear to be in Christchurch.
It is alleged the offending took place from February 2005 to September 2006.
No pleas have been entered.
- NZPA
