A woman who spent more than $1 million of her sister's money and used her Pauanui bach to get banks loans has been jailed for four years and three months.
Michelle Roberta Innes, 59, appeared for sentence in the Auckland District Court today after earlier being found guilty on 10Crimes Act charges laid by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO).
The charges included theft, theft by a person in a special relationship, and theft by a person required to account in relation to theft from her sister. Innes was found guilty of all of those charges in a trial in April this year.
An SFO investigation found that between 2001 and 2008, Innes dishonestly used more than $1m entrusted to her by her sister, as well as using a Pauanui property owned by her sister as security for mortgages for her own benefit.
SFO director Julie Read said: "This scenario is an unfortunate reminder of the risks involved when financial decisions are based on trust alone. It is always wise to obtain independent advice in relation to any major decision which could affect your financial future."
