By Katie Oliver, Multimedia Journalist
A Christchurch man has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after pleading guilty to using the identities of 10 strangers—including a deceased person—to fraudulently claim more than $65,000 in Covid wage subsidies.
Adam James Letchford, 40, applied for the subsidies between April and June 2020, submitting 14 false claims in total. Initially, Letchford applied in his own name and received nearly $30,000. He later used the identities of other individuals, including a dead person, to apply for a further $65,000 in subsidies, though these claims were declined.
According to the summary of facts, Letchford was not authorized to make the applications on behalf of the individuals whose names he used. His actions were classified as fraudulent, as one of the identities was that of a deceased person.
Letchford, who was unemployed and receiving benefits at the time, posed as a sole trader in order to make the false claims. He spent large sums of the fraudulent money at the Christchurch Casino and in cash withdrawals.
In court, Letchford pleaded guilty to four counts of fraudulently using documents for successful wage subsidy claims and one charge for the unsuccessful claims. A fifth charge was representative of the 10 different identities he used in total.
Judge Tom Gilbert sentenced Letchford to 12 months in prison, adding to the time he is already serving for burglary charges. He was also ordered to pay $5,000 in reparations once released.
“The Covid wage subsidy scheme was designed to support businesses and the self-employed during a time of crisis, but unfortunately, some individuals exploited the system for personal gain,” said Judge Gilbert during sentencing.
Letchford is one of 27 individuals who have been prosecuted for similar Covid wage subsidy fraud. While many have been convicted, only three have repaid the stolen funds. Some are serving prison sentences, with further reparations expected upon release.
The case highlights the ongoing efforts by authorities to tackle Covid-related fraud, with 47 more cases still pending in the courts.