Former Government Minister Roger McClay has admitted a $25,000 double-dipping rort of cash-strapped charities and taxpayer money.
The 65-year-old pleaded guilty to three representative fraud charges that he abused his ex-MP perk of taxpayer-subsidised flights, then falsely claimed travel costs from two charities he worked for.
Over nearly three years,
the five-term National Party MP invoiced $11,800 from World Vision and Keep New Zealand Beautiful for travel costs when he had actually flown courtesy of the taxpayer. He then claimed $12,887.10 from Parliamentary Services with the 90 per cent travel discount he receives as an ex-MP.
Judge Jan Doogue described the $24,687.10 fraud as "significant" in the Auckland District Court yesterday where she indicated a sentence of community work if he pleaded guilty.
The charge of using a document to gain a pecuniary advantage has a maximum penalty of seven years' imprisonment.
He will be sentenced next week.
