KEY POINTS:
A woman involved in scamming more than $120,000 from loan seekers after her son set up a shonky finance company has walked free on bail with an 18-month deferred jail sentence while she applies for home detention.
The Hawkes Bay Today reported the Crown was expected to appeal the sentence given to Michelle Robyne O'Keefe, 44, at Napier District Court yesterday.
O'Keefe's son Timothy Aaron O'Keefe returned from Australia to set up a finance company from a Hastings flat, using a passport in the name of Shannon Brasier.
As the company crumbled O'Keefe fled to Fiji, leaving his mother and his girlfriend Lunibell Orpha Barcelon, 23.
He was sentenced to five years jail in Fiji for similar offending.
Michelle O'Keefe denied the charge of conspiring to cause loss by deception.
Barcelon pleaded guilty, gave evidence in O'Keefe's trial in September, and offered to pay reparation.
Judge Robert Kerr gave both women the same sentence.
He said it was clear Timothy O'Keefe was the principle offender. O'Keefe had registered a company called Clearview Finance to facilitate the marketing of bogus finance arrangements. Through newspaper advertisements, the company offered easy access to loans for bankrupts and people with difficulties getting finance.
When negotiatiing arrangements with Timothy and Michelle O'Keefe, customers were asked to forward fees of about 10 per cent of the amount sought, which was to be held in a trust.
There never was a trust account, promised contracts never materialised, and none of the money was paid back, Judge Kerr said.
A total of $123,300 was deposited in the company account, $52,500 was taken in cash withdrawals, about $40,000 was taken out in ATM transactions, and other money removed, Judge Kerr said.
That included bank transfers made by Barcelon when demanded by Timothy O'Keefe in Fiji.
- NZPA
