A Wellington man has been sentenced to 10 months' home detention after offending against both Inland Revenue and MSD related to Covid-19 support schemes.
Harold Hyde, a now bankrupt former Wellington tax agent, faced IR charges related to Covid-19 relief schemes administered by the department, including the the Small Business Cashflow Scheme (SBCS), Covid-19 Support Payment (CSP), and Resurgence Support Payment (RSP).
A judgement from IR said Hyde also used forged bank statements for himself, his mother and Flourishing NZ as part of his applications.
He applied for RSPs and CSPs claiming his business met the scheme's criteria in that it was viable and ongoing, and that there had been a decline in revenue.
Hyde applied for $50,6000 but received $13,700. He put the money in his personal bank account and spent it on himself.
Hyde had previously acted as a tax agent. Following a meeting with Inland Revenue in August 2023, he voluntarily removed himself from that role.
At the time, Covid-19 support schemes were rolled out in a high trust model to get help to people who qualified for it as quickly as possible.
Hyde submitted 18 fraudulent bank statements to IR, presenting them as authentic documents in support of his Covid-19 related applications.
IR obtained the original bank statements which showed the statement's Hyde provided were forged.
As well as the charges laid by IR, he faced charges related to $90,000 worth of offending against the Ministry of Social Development (MSD).
For the offending against both IR and MSD, Hyde was sentenced to 10 months home detention.
IR sought reparation of $13,700.00 but the Judge declined to order it because Hyde had limited means and is an undischarged bankrupt.
The Court was told, however, that Hyde had repaid most of the money he received from MSD.
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