Serious Fraud Office charges Auckland accountant, alleges $1m fraud

Christopher George Wright has been charged with defrauding clients of $1 million. Photo / 123RF

A former chartered accountant has been charged with defrauding clients of around $1 million.

The Serious Fraud Office alleges that Christopher George Wright filed tax returns on behalf of 245 clients and misappropriated refunds to the tune of about $1.01 million over a six-year period from January 2010 to April 2016.

Wright, 62, entered no plea today when he appeared in the Auckland District Court.

He is facing a single representative charge of theft by a person in special relationship.

Wright has been remanded on bail to reappear at the Auckland District Court on 4 October.

In December 2016, Wright pleaded guilty by correspondence to professional misconduct as well a charge for negligence or incompetence in a case before the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants disciplinary tribunal after admitting taking client money for eight years.

The tribunal found he had conducted in the misappropriation of at least $280,000 over approximately 18 months.

At the time, Wright was removed from the institute's register, and ordered to pay costs of $56,853.

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