January 23, 2018
Roberts pleads to trust fraud
A south Auckland man has pleaded guilty to taking a bribe to withdraw his tribe’s objections to a district plan change.
Saul Roberts also admitted taking kickbacks while working as an asset manager for a Maori health trust.
The Serious Fraud Office says in 2012 Roberts set up the kickback scheme with co-accused Atish Narayan to give Narayan contracts to supply and maintain cars for Te Roopu Taurima O Manukau Trust, which provides health care for people with intellectual disabilities.
In October Narayan was sentenced to 6 months’ home detention and ordered to pay $14,000 in reparation.
The other charge dates back to 2009 when Roberts was a trustee and employee of Te Kawerau Iwi Tribal Authority and received a secret payment of $45,000 in return for withdrawing public submissions he had lodged on behalf of the tribe opposing a plan change.
He will be sentenced on February 27.
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