Husband who worked with public servant wife to defraud Oranga Tamariki of $2 million sentenced in SFO case

A man who worked with his public servant wife to fraudulently obtain more than $2 million from Oranga Tamariki  ̶   Ministry for Children was sentenced today, after pleading guilty to charges brought by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO).

Amandeep Sharma was sentenced in the Christchurch High Court today to 12 months’ home detention. His wife, former Oranga Tamariki Property and Facilities Manager Neha Sharma (nee Chandrasekaran), was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment in May.

Mr and Mrs Sharma pleaded guilty to charges of obtaining by deception for fraudulently obtaining approximately $2.1 million from Oranga Tamariki. The money was obtained through Mr Sharma’s company, Divine Connection, without Oranga Tamariki knowing. 

The husband and wife team also pleaded guilty to money laundering for transferring just under $800,000 overseas once the offending was discovered, then immediately leaving New Zealand. 

Mrs Sharma also pleaded guilty to one representative charge of using a forged document. Mrs Sharma used forged references to gain employment at Oranga Tamariki, and again to gain employment at Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency directly after leaving Oranga Tamariki. 

SFO Director, Karen Chang says, “Mr Sharma and his wife took advantage of her position of trust for their own financial gain. It is critical that we disrupt behaviour of this kind, which damages the integrity of our public institutions and threatens our reputation as a safe place to invest and do business.

“Corrupt behaviour by public servants is a key focus for the SFO, and we are currently advancing initiatives that will strengthen the New Zealand public sector’s overall resilience to fraud and corruption.”