Shelley Margaret Donald took just three years to wreck a 95-year-old institution, swindling more than 500 people in the process.
Among them were three workers who lost their family cars because weekly payments were not made, and an 84-year-old pensioner.
Donald's 250 thefts began in 1997, and ended last April when the Auckland Regional Staff Friendly Society ran out of money and collapsed.
Amid the dust and scattered paperwork, 535 mostly low-income workers were left wondering how she got away with at least $260,000 of their money - and possibly as much as $500,000.
Most were employees of Stagecoach, Watercare and the Auckland Regional Council, working on buses and parks. They each paid $4 a week to be members of the society, which offered savings, bill payments, budgeting and funeral finance.
Only four of them came to watch 38-year-old Donald wipe away tears in Auckland District Court yesterday as she was given a three-year jail sentence.
The Riverhead woman earlier pleaded guilty to one representative charge of using a document with intent to defraud and one of forging documents.
Auckland Tramways Union president Gary Froggatt said the worst-hit victims stayed away because they wanted to forget their pain.
Among them were the three who lost their cars, and another couple who are in trouble because their mortgage payments did not go through.
Long-time society members Don and Marie Linton said they looked at the books after Donald was caught and found them to be an unbelievable mess.
"Nobody could believe it when she was caught," said Mrs Linton.
"I recommended her for the job, and I felt physically sick when I found out."
Donald started working for the society in June 1986, and quickly gained a trustworthy reputation. By September 1996 she was the organisation's secretary, in control of its finances.
Donald's lawyer, Shane Tait, said his client got into financial strife and started taking money to pay her bills. She always meant to pay it back.
"It was not sophisticated, nor was it well-hidden," he said.
"It was blatant offending that should have been detected before ... There was nothing left to steal."
Donald had said: "They made it so easy for me. It was like screaming from the rooftops and there was no one left to listen."
But Judge Chris Field rejected the implication that the society's trustees should have kept a tighter rein.
Judge Field wondered where the money went. "How can you dissipate $260,000 in three to four years and have nothing to show for it?"
$260,000 trail of broken hearts
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