A man who used 123 fake identities to fleece $3.4 million from Work and Income has been denied parole.
Former electrician Wayne Patterson, who was handed an eight-year prison sentence in 2006 for his offending, appeared before the Parole Board today.
Patterson was sent to jail after authorities discovered he
had been illegally receiving $54,000 a fortnight in benefits over a two-year period from the Social Development Ministry.
To obtain the benefits, many of which were pensions, Patterson disguised himself as an elderly man and lied to staff.
His actions were exposed after a KiwiBank staff member noticed a number of accounts held by pensioners were being accessed by the same internet connection.
