Bankrupt Wellington tax agent Harold Hyde forged Covid support claims, court hears

A bankrupt Wellington tax agent has been sentenced to 10 months’ home detention for fleecing Covid support funding and the Ministry of Social Development.

Harold Hyde has been found to have forged bank statements for himself and his mother as part of his applications for the financial support, which he spent on himself.

Hyde received $13,700 of Covid support and resurgence support payments under a “high trust” model, said the Inland Revenue Department (IRD), which took charges against him.

He also faced charges of $90,000 worth of offending against the Ministry of Social Development.

The Covid support schemes were created to ensure businesses could access funds to get financial help in a timely fashion. 

The IRD said Hyde claimed his business met the criteria for support payments, and applied for $50,600, but received $13,700.

“He put the money in his personal bank account and spent it on himself,” the department said in a statement.

The Inland Revenue Department says Harold Hyde forged documents to get Covid support payments which he spent on himself. Photo / Janna Dixon

It found he submitted 18 fraudulent bank statements to IRD, which he presented as authentic documents in support of his Covid-related applications.

But the IRD obtained his original bank statements, which showed the statements he provided had been forged.

Hyde had previously acted as a tax agent. Following a meeting with Inland Revenue in August 2023, he voluntarily removed himself from his role.

Hyde appeared in court this week for sentencing on the charges, with the IRD unsuccessfully seeking an order for him to pay back the money.

The judge declined the reparation request, saying Hyde had limited means and was now an undischarged bankrupt.

The court was told he had already repaid most of the money he received from MSD.

It is not Hyde’s first brush with the law for his dodgy dealings.

In 2023 it was reported he had been struck off as an accountant after taking out $32,000 in loans from a friend’s business he was managing while she was overseas.