Mother of four accused of $86k fraud

A Rotorua woman who did not tell Work and Income about her changed circumstances is on trial for receiving more than $86,000 in overpayments. File photo / NZ Herald

A Rotorua mother-of-four is accused of being overpaid by almost $90,000 in benefits after she failed to inform Work and Income New Zealand that her circumstances had changed.

Margaret Heta is on trial at Rotorua District Court on eight counts relating to three types of benefit. She pleaded not guilty to three counts of wilful omission and five counts of using a document.

The court heard yesterday she had received overpayments of $86,502.27 between February 23, 2005 and February 28, 2010. This included $67,030.70 in Domestic Purposes Benefit as a sole parent. She also received overpayments of an accommodation supplement of $19,211 for the same period and a special benefit for the first five months. This amounted to $260.57.

In evidence for the prosecution, Heta's Work and Income case manager Julia Schwartfeger said yearly reviews between 2005 and 2009 had given Heta the opportunity to disclose if her situation had changed, but she had not.

Each Work and Income client, when applying in the first instance for a benefit, is also obligated to inform the Ministry of Social Development as soon as possible should they have a change in circumstances and again, Crown Prosecutor Leighvi Maynard said, Heta had not.

"She made no mention of her marital status, the section was not filled out on the form," Mrs Schwartfeger said of the first review. At the second review in 2006 she answered 'no' to being in a marriage, relationship or civil union and again in 2007. In 2009, she completed the form by claiming to be single.

Work and Income technical officer Robyn Davis told the court Heta had not been entitled to any of the benefits for the period in which she was investigated.

Mr Maynard told the court there was income from an alleged partner. The trial continues.