A woman who received nearly $44,000 in benefits she was not entitled to was given community detention in Whanganui District Court on Wednesday.
Penelope Katene appeared on nine charges of using a document for pecuniary advantage and one charge of misleading a social welfare officer for failing to disclose she was living with a partner.
Katene was receiving an invalid's benefit from 1985 to 2012 when it was cancelled, but had been living with a partner from April 2005.
She also said in her benefit applications that she was not receiving any income aside from benefits, despite being employed at various times from February 2009.
Katene worked with local iwi providing budgeting advice and was currently employed in two cleaning jobs.