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Betty Sio was fined $3000 after being found guilty of dishonestly using a document to steal from her Pacific Island Safety and Prevention Project in the Manukau District Court last year.
Sio was chief executive of the charity, which got $2.5 million yearly funding from mostly the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Justice and the Department of Corrections.
She was awarded the Queen’s Service Order for services to the Pacific community in 2011.
The High Court at Auckland dismissed her application for an appeal of her sentence and conviction.
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) welcomed the court’s decision.
Sio and former operations manager Tapualii Raewyn Uitime were largely responsible for managing funds for the charity, the SFO said.
Betty Sio (right) was fined $3000 after being found guilty of dishonestly using a document to steal from her Pacific Island Safety and Prevention Project in the Manukau District Court last year. Photo / Government House
The SFO said fake invoices from suppliers were created and cash cheques were authorised to be paid to them.
“Instead of using the funding given to the charity to make a difference to the lives of her community, Ms Sio abused her position of trust and responsibility to steal $44,000,” SFO director Karen Chang said.
“She also turned a blind eye to Ms Uitime, who stole around $216,000,” Chang said.
Between them they stole around $260,000. Uitime stole about $216,000 by creating false invoices from suppliers and authorising cash cheques to pay them.
Sio benefited from the proceeds of two cashed cheques, stealing about $44,000.
The charity was supposed to provide prevention, education, counselling and development services to Auckland’s Pacific Island community.
Uitime was sentenced to two years and one month of jail time in October 2020 after pleading guilty to three charges of forgery and six representative charges of dishonestly using a document.
Chang said the offending was “destabilising to our social fabric, damage[ing] trust in community leadership and institutions.
“Fraud that targets or disproportionately harms a particularly vulnerable community or group is a focus area for the Serious Fraud Office.
“Misappropriating government funding can also further exacerbate an issue and undermine government efforts,” she said.
Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.
