Winz staffer jailed for fraud

Judge Murray Abbott noted the long list of victims that cheating Work and Income worker Nguha Benjamin Moses left behind as he began a prison term of two years and five months yesterday.

The 27-year-old Christchurch case manager made up a fictitious client and spent five years granting himself benefits and other assistance totalling $102,475 before he was caught when the file passed to somebody else this year.

The Christchurch District Court judge said Winz was the principal victim, and he suggested that when Moses was released the department should make a civil claim on his property that would allow it to recover the outstanding money.

Other victims were Moses' colleagues and the public of New Zealand.

His actions tarnished the public perception of Winz and its staff and he expected staff might have to deal with difficulties with clients and snide remarks as a result, he said.

He also identified Moses' partner as a victim.

She had been unaware of any extra money coming into the household for five years, while Moses gambled it away.

Defence counsel Greg Trainor described Moses as being "clearly in the thrall of a terrible addiction".

Since his conviction two months ago, when Moses pleaded guilty to a charge of forgery and seven of dishonestly using documents, the family had taken out a loan on its home to raise $11,500.

That money would shortly to be paid towards reparations.

Mr Trainor said that was not all the equity in the home, but it was the highest amount that was able to be serviced, particularly while Moses was in prison.

Judge Abbott said the other victims were Moses' three children, one born only a month ago.

Mr Trainor said Moses was genuinely remorseful.

"He is like a stunned mullet.

"He is coming to grips with the enormity of what he has done, and the number of people he has let down."

The offending began when Moses received a birth certificate which had been found on the street.

He used it to create an imaginary person named Manuel Jakes, who began to receive unemployment benefit and later an invalid benefit because checks on that benefit were not so stringent.

Grants were made for training and study costs, and the department found notes on the file saying that Jakes was living under the police witness-protection scheme.

Moses also wrote a letter said to be from Jakes when the file went to another case manager, saying that he had gone overseas and no longer needed a benefit.

Judge Abbott said Moses had convictions for dishonesty in 1996 and 1997, but he suspected the offending was able to go on for so long because he was held in high regard by his employer.

He said it was not realistic to make a reparation order, apart from the lump sum.

At $50 a week it would be 35 years for the remaining money to be repaid.

Judge Abbott told Moses: "I suggest you stop looking at yourself and look at those you have harmed by your offending, in particular Winz and your former colleagues, and your wife and three young children."

- NZPA