Firm's $450k lost in scam

A Christchurch woman fell victim to a Nigerian scam and lost nearly half a million dollars of her employer's money, a court was told yesterday.

Jacqueline Louise de Berri, 48, transferred $452,206 from the rental company she worked for at Christchurch Airport to bank accounts in Spain.

Under the Nigerian scam, she was offered a cut of a fictitious $21 million, but the money was immediately transferred out of the accounts and the Christchurch District Court was told that none of it had been recovered.

De Berri, who is now unemployed, admitted 13 counts of dishonesty. She was remanded on bail until April 28.