Tracy Jane Littlewood, 54, has admitted to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from her employer, B G Contracting, a civil engineering firm. Appearing in Christchurch District Court on Tuesday, Littlewood pleaded guilty to two charges related to fraud, including obtaining a $35,000 bank loan through deception and using the company’s business records to embezzle funds over a period spanning from 2012 to 2024.
The exact amount Littlewood stole is still being determined, but reports indicate it is in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The fraud was uncovered when a colleague, while conducting routine accounting tasks, noticed discrepancies in the financial records. Littlewood was arrested in April and initially granted interim name suppression, which was lifted at her court hearing.
Her lawyer, Phil Shamy, confirmed that Littlewood had sold her house and is now in a position to make substantial reparations. She has been remanded on bail and is scheduled for sentencing on September 16.
This case is part of a growing trend of high-profile fraud cases in Christchurch, which have sparked concern over financial misconduct in the region.
