Three scam victims tell their stories of losing thousands of dollars to investment fraud, a Bitcoin con, and a romance scam. Video / Commission for Financial Capability
Una Heikell poured out her heart in her friend’s home, weeping and grieving the death of her daughter. The ruse worked.
Heikell, a 68-year-old serial fraudster, concocted a lie about her dead daughter to extract money out of people she had built friendships with, going so far as to drainone man’s entire retirement savings by asking him to invest in a charity she had set up.
“I listened to Una cry in my home, grieving her daughter. I now know her story about her daughter and her son were fabricated – lies to manipulate us,” said one victim, who read a statement out in the Wellington District Court this afternoon.
Heikell appeared in court for sentencing today, having pleaded guilty just before going to trial on four counts of obtaining by deception.
She stole more than $60,000 from four victims, but the current offending is just a drop in the bucket, with Heikell carrying more than 60 previous convictions for similar offending.
Judge Nicola Wills said Heikell had set up a charitable organisation called Get Involved, purportedly to support vulnerable people with housing and arrange advocacy services.
The victim who spoke in court said she believed so strongly in the cause that she rearranged her whole life to help Heikell with her mission.
“I stand here today devastated, humiliated and betrayed,” the 64-year-old said.
The fraudster was sentenced in the Wellington District Court this afternoon.
“I poured my time, effort and resources into supporting her work, thinking I was making a difference.”
The victim worked long hours to catch up on her day job, spending the rest of her time helping Heikell with various work connected to the charity.
She described Heikell as “a master manipulator who preys on kindness, exploiting those who trust her the most”.
“Una Heikell is a danger to any community. She has done this before, and she will do it again unless she is stopped.”
Judge Wills said the victim had needed her kitchen renovated, and Heikell offered to get her a quote and facilitate the work for her. The victim gave her the money for the quoted work, about $7000.
“You later told her that your daughter had died, which was incorrect, and asked that she travel overseas with you to assist with cleaning out your daughter’s belongings,” the judge said to the defendant.
The victim agreed and sent Heikell money to book the travel. Between these deposits and the ones for the kitchen work, the victim deposited $14,400 to Heikell’s bank account before discovering she was being scammed.
The second and third victims were deceived in similar ways. The fourth victim was a man who was tricked into “investing” his retirement savings in the charity. He lost $43,000 to Heikell. The money was all of his retirement savings from an inheritance.
In total, Heikell stole $61,851.83.
Judge Wills said the victim impact statements showed there was “an ongoing theme of significant betrayal and trust”.
Heikell had exhibited “callous manipulation” of ongoing and established friendships.
Judge Wills said it seemed apparent the charity was set up solely for Heikell’s personal gain.
She was also concerned to read Heikell’s comments to a pre-sentence report writer, when she said she was displeased that a victim had posted about the deception on social media.
“Your advice was that this irked you as you wished the victim had ‘just come to me’ about the situation.
“That shows a complete lack of understanding about the nature of friendship and a sense of entitlement.”
Judge Wills said she felt character reference letters she received in Heikell’s favour indicated there were people in the community who supported Heikell and her continued involvement with the charity.
“I have particular concerns that the character information I’m provided is perhaps just more evidence of your ability to deceive people,” she said.
Judge Wills allowed discounts to the overall sentence for the guilty plea, time spent on electronically monitored bail, and cultural and background factors, but also gave an uplift to the sentence for the previous offending, noting Heikell had more than 60 convictions for similar offending.
The pre-sentence report had recommended a sentence of home detention, but Judge Wills settled on a sentence of two years and two months in prison. She ordered Heikell to pay reparation in full, in the amounts of $2700, $3730, $14,349.83 and $43,000.
Melissa Nightingale is a Wellington-based reporter who covers crime, justice and news in the capital. She joined the Herald in 2016 and has worked as a journalist for 10 years.
