Police seize $600,000 worth of assets from Ministry of Transport fraudster Joanne Harrison

Joanne Harrison appears in the Manukau District Court in February 2017 for sentencing in a fraud case involving the Ministry of Transport. Photo / File

Police have seized more than $600,000 worth of assets belonging to convicted Ministry of Transport fraudster Joanne Harrison.

Jewellery and cash are among the assets seized in an effort to claw back taxpayers' money stolen by the former Ministry of Transport general manager.

The Police Asset Recovery Unit has been investigating Harrison since June 2016. In February 2017 she was sentenced to three years seven months' imprisonment for misappropriating $726,836.07 from the ministry.

The unit restrained assets belonging to Harrison and her husband, including a residential property in the Far North, cash, jewellery and a vehicle.

Forfeiture of those assets was sought, resulting in orders issued by the Wellington High Court this month, police said. Those orders will yield about $620,000, which will go toward recouping the misappropriated money.

"Ms Harrison's offending was selfish and driven purely by greed and financial gain," Detective Senior Sergeant Brent Murray of the Central Asset Recovery Unit said.

The Criminal Proceeds Recovery Act was used to recover the funds, he said.

"We ask community members who think someone may be benefiting financially
from a crime to contact their local Police or call Crimestoppers anonymously
on 0800 555 111."