Fraudster John Davy will learn his fate in court today, the day before he officially becomes an overstayer.

Davy, the man appointed to head the Maori Television Service before he was unmasked as a conman for lying on his application for the job, will be sentenced in Auckland District Court for using a forged document to obtain a benefit or privilege.

Davy admitted lying on his resume when he first appeared on the charge in court earlier this month.

Davy's work permit is due to expire tomorrow.

Last week he moved out of his $975-a-week rented home in Auckland and into a $49-a-night motel.

Davy worked for the Maori Television Service for six weeks at a cost of $55,000. Part of that was a $20,000 after-tax salary advance to buy a car and rent a home.

Law experts believed Davy would be deported today rather than face a heavy fine and jail sentence. He is understood to be virtually penniless.

He was appointed as chief executive of MTS on March 11.

At his last hearing, his lawyer Kahu Barron-Afeaki said Davy was very regretful, sorry and deeply remorseful.

"What is ironic and sad about this case is that yes, he did mislead in terms of his CV, but his actual performance was very good," Mr Barron-Afeaki said after the first appearance.

- NZPA